The First Week

It's the second Wednesday of the school year.  I'm waiting for my kindergarten kids to show up, then my grade fives, and then it's the end of the first week teaching.  Of course, I teach Thursday and Friday to round out this week, but when you start the school year in the middle of a week, things seem to take a lot longer.

A colleague and I were chatting yesterday about how all of the new routines, in school and out, were really wearing us down.  The realization that it was only the first Tuesday of the school year brought some much needed perspective; our expectations were pretty high, both for ourselves and our students.  When everything is new, it's ok to not "get it" right away. 

I watched two parrots try to eat the school yesterday.  They like to sit on the roof and pick at the tiles with their beaks.  Of course, Emily and I were the only ones who stopped to watch these industrious little guys; parrots aren't that exciting when you grow up with them.  Personally, bright green birds are always an attraction. 

It's been a gray sort of day today.  The sun just doesn't want to burn off the fog and clouds.  Since we are quite high in the Central Valley at the school, it means our temperature is pretty cool today.  It's the kind of day where everything feels wet, nothing dries up, and there are still puddles from the rain yesterday.  I'm actually wearing a light sweater today and appreciating it.  I'm really hoping the weekend is dry so I can do some more walking without my umbrella!  I have yet to see San Jose, even though I thought I'd be living there.  I also want to see Tres Rios, where apparently there is a pretty nice farmers' market on Saturday. 

Kindergarten has come and gone, like the wind.  Or a hurricane.  I really need to figure out just how long their attention spans aren't!