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We can do this! By the lovely Grace Farris.
P.S. Zucchini muffins for back-to-school breakfasts and the one question I ask my kids after school.
Back-To-School Pep Talks
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I remember getting to pet-sit the class pet once when I was in third grade, and being pet-less myself, it was THRILLING. I can’t remember its name, but it was a guinea pig. I adopted my Siamese cat, Milo, as an adult, and I’m so happy my now five-month old daughter can grow up alongside him!
Love this, Grace. 🍎✏️✂️
Just started my 20th year of teaching in Brooklyn this week. Hoping to have a fun year with my 5th graders!
If anyone else is feeling particularly tender about back to school in light of the horrific shooting in Georgia, I found Martha Quinn’s writing a helpful and powerful framing on speaking about the unimaginable and what we owe our incredible teachers and beloved children/students: https://withoutcitations.substack.com/p/its-the-guns?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-restack-comment&r=uj7ih&triedRedirect=true
Child-free 38 year old here. I caught a glimpse of a Mum walking her kid to school today, his cartoon backpack on her shoulders, and an unexpected lump formed in my throat. September is some strange magic!
Australian here so we are nearly finished term three so one more term to go then my youngest will be finish primary school! Not sure of equivalent in US and all my knowledge of schooling in US based on my extensive tv viewing…junior school?? Anyway, will try to soak it up and I feel excited for her too heading to highschool /secondary school next year.
Enjoy the last few months. Wishing you both the best for high school, it flies by. My daughter is Year 12 VCE and I can’t wait till the exams are done and we get to enjoy summer.
Congrats, Ceridwen! I’m thinking your kiddo is moving on to what we in the US call middle school or junior high (about age 12)? A big milestone with lots of changes ahead. So happy for you!
Thanks for this! She always captures it in such a lovely way.
It is wild. My nephews have been in school since August 1st and already had their first round of testing. Either way, hope everybody has a great year and legislation passes to have stricter gun laws so everybody can have a great year.
hi! fyi, the banner ad at the bottom of this post says “Reject Kamala and her empty promises.” Read on my phone.
yikes! we will get that removed asap.
Haha! The kickball knows how to roll with it❤️
I love all of these, but I FEEL the kickball!
First days are hard but it’s only your first day for one day. –This — from my mother, has gotten me through SO many first days.
Also – Run, Hide, Fight.
☹️🙏
Intruder training is now required in schools. It’s sickening that we actually have to teach kids about barricading the room.
The article I read about the kids taking shirts off their backs to try to save their teachers life really got to me. I mean really ???? This is what kids have to do in school ?? Come on ” pro life ” party. What say you ?????
My sheltered six-year-old first-grader asked me this week what a “bandit” was. I had asked her about a fire drill experience, and she said, “It wasn’t a fire drill, actually–it was a ‘bandit’ drill. What’s a ‘bandit,’ Mommy?”
Get off your partisan butts and DO SOMETHING, Congress.
This fall my daughter started Kindergarten and I started graduate school. (Things sure have changed since I graduated college in 2009. No more APA guides! It’s all online! Also, wtf is a DOI?)
I’m printing this as a reminder for us both!
Congrats Jessica!! In case no one has mentioned it yet, the OWL Purdue online citation guides are AMAZING. So easy to use, and you can find the citation and footnote formats for literally every kind of source. I’m Canadian but was in university for a looong time (BAHons, MA, PhD) and lived by those guides! You can just Google “OWL Purdue APA” (or whatever style you’re using)
I am also starting grad school this fall! Doing a lot of research and have found chatGPT to be a very helpful tool for asking all sorts of questions, explaining confusing topics in the papers I’m reading, and also helping understand code (if you have to do any coding elements with your work). Also have found Google Scholar to be helpful for citations, they have a “Cite” button that gives you a copy-able citation in any of the main formats like APA. Good luck!!!!
Congrats, Jessica P! Also don’t hesitate to reach out to the librarians at your school if you’d like someone to talk through all the wild parts of the research and scholarly landscape these days with you — they can advise on all of the above and expand your research community and campus network, and can be a great sounding board at different parts of your work!
My youngest is a HS Senior, and he chose a Sonic backpack (with matching lunch box and pencil case). We all shine! xox
The little kid backpacks are a trend at our school for seniors too! Enjoy senior year!
Fun! It’s nice to see older kids indulging their more lighthearted sides, too.
My youngest is a high school freshman, I forgot how much “learning on the fly” happens right at the peak of your hormones. Bottom of the barrel!
My 70 yr old husband took a public school crossing guard post 4 years ago after retiring. Yesterday was his first morning back. He loves the kids/parents. The fresh air. Even the weather changes. Even the dog walkers. So don’t forget to say hello to your neighborhood crossing guard. They are there for your safety.
I have very fond memories of my elementary school crossing guard decades later. So I’m guessing some of those kiddos will remember your husband, too! Such a lovely way to give back.
We love our crossing guard and appreciate her being there for us!
I also love how our school makes sure during teacher appreciation events that every school worker is a part of it. Every drop off and pick up I’m so happy and grateful for everyone who works there <3
Happiest part of our first day back to school was the crossing guard greeting my kids by name. He always acts completely overjoyed to see them.
I love this! Thanks to your husband for getting engaged to support local kids. Our crossing guard manages a very intense intersection so she is all business. Her dedication is inspiring and I’d love to do it someday.
My husband will be very touched by your kind words. I thank you!
So apt! It’s my first day teaching high school after a big career switch. Butterflies are in my stomach!
Good luck Sara!
Oh I hope you love it!! I teach at a university now but high schoolers are my favorite.
Good luck Sara! You’ve got this! Teaching high school is the BEST! Love on those kids and they’ll love you right back.
All the best, Sara! I, too, made a big switch into (primary school) teaching and absolutely LOVE it. Enjoy your first day with your kids!
That poor class pet! I hope she survives the year.
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