Prepwork

We are ready... I think. For school, that is.

Classrooms are set up. Lessons are planned. Clothes are set out for the first day. I am in the midst of making birthday cards for our classes.

It has been a very busy week and a half. Our kids have been dragged to the school day after day. They have shown remarkable patience with their parents as we try to get organized better than we did last summer.

Last summer. Oooh! That was not pretty. LK was offered a job and accepted with less than a week to go before school started. Since he had no training or experience in getting a contained classroom set up, we did it all together. It was a bit insane, and as a result I was less than prepared when the first day of school arrived.

This year is very different. LK has been working very hard to get his classroom ready independently. It is amazing to see how far he has come in just a year. Now he comes to my room to bounce ideas, but really doesn't need me. He has laid out his classroom, organized student materials, and made his plans with little input from me other than, "Yes, that sounds good." His room looks great and he has an excellent plan for his first week. This man is a natural teacher!

As a result I am much more prepared, and much more relaxed than last year. Funny, though, I still have those nervous tummy spasms that are a part of every back-to-school season. The best thing; I am getting ideas from my 'newbie' spouse on what to include in my own first week.