I went to the beach 3 times and the pool once in the past 7 days. That can only mean one thing--summer's just about done and I'm in a panic to get in as much time in the water as I can.
The past week or two I've actually been getting kind of excited for school to start. I like having a little more of a regular routine, even if that routine starts at 5 each morning. I also got my classroom set up early (it's done!) and it was so much easier than last year. I was getting anxious to get kids in there already and see if my second year in 3rd grade is any easier than my first.
But then last night I went to an "end of summer party" at a coworkers house, and naturally we started talking about horrible kid stories. Someone would say a name of the kid, and nearly two thirds of the time I follwed up with, "Oh man, she's in my class." I've got an interesting mix. I knew I would have a really low class since I'm getting half of the sped kids and half of the ELL kids in the grade. But it turns out I've got at least two who aren't reading at all yet. I know what to do with first graders who can't read, but I'm not entirely sure what to do with 3rd graders who can't read. I have one that stuck her tongue in an outlet last year (I told my dad about this one and he's nicknamed her "Sparky," which is probably how I'll refer to her here). I have another who, in first grade, asked to go to the bathroom but ended up at the 7-eleven a few blocks from school. I have two kids who had "accidents" of the number 2 variety last year. I've got a bunch who are barely adding and subtracting. I've got another girl about who I've been warned can be a real bitch, and that she's bigger than me.
It's going to be interesting. I've got 3 days left.
