School is Starting

That's right my friends, school is starting on Wednesday. And guess what I'm not going back! Yahoo! For those that don't know, I'm not going to be teaching this year because I get to stay home with Greg. I'm so happy about this; it was a difficult school year trying to balance being a good mom with being a good teacher. It was totally exhausting, to be completely honest! I know that it was hard for Noel as well, being home alone with Greg. He is a great dad and did such a wonderful job with Greg last year. That kid adores him!

Even though I am so excited to be a stay-at-home mom, a small part of me already misses teaching and being at school. I worked with some wonderful people who are amazing teachers and even better friends. The good thing is I am still in Lexington and will get to still hang out with them on occasion.

And what is a post about school/teaching without some little kid funnies?!?! Last year I had such a fun class. There were some definite challenges, but those kids made me laugh so much! This is mostly for me to just be able to get these memories down, so don't feel like you have to keep reading.

Right before we started our end of the year testing, I sharpened a bunch of new pencils so that all of the kids could have a few sharp pencils that actually had erasers on the top. Here is how a couple of conversations went.

C. C.: What are those Mrs. Dickens?

Me: Pencils.

C. C.: Are those brand new pencils?

Me: Yep.

C. C.: Sweet!

N. W.: Whoa…new pencils. What I’ve always dreamed about!

If I would have known new pencils would be such a big hit, I would have given them to the class a lot earlier!

I had a student that I just wish everyone in the world could meet. He is so wonderful. He has some special needs but is the sweetest kid, and almost everything he said made me laugh. I just love him! He would pretend to drive around a car whenever we went somewhere. When we went to the bathroom, he would "drive his car" down the hallway, "park" it outside the door, open the door and get out, then hang up his keys on an imaginary hook. So funny. Here is a little conversation with him.

Me: Did you get a haircut?

L: Yah. I went to the haircut store. They gave me a sucker!

Another little girl was drawing a picture after she finished her work and said, "Look! A teddy bear with a uni-brow!" Who draws a teddy bear with a uni-brow?

I had another little girl in my class who was developmentally delayed. She was 7, but developmentally she was about 4. She is also a student who I just wish everyone could meet her; she is great! She is student C.C. Another little boy in my class was concerned about her having a boyfriend.

Mason: Ms. Dickens, C.C. says Eminem is her boyfriend.

Me: C.C., Eminem is too old for you. (I was thinking of the rapper, Eminem)

Courtney: Well he is red and chocolaty and he is still my boyfriend. (M&M, not Eminem...oohh.)

During a reading group:

Me: What’s this word?

C.C. : But…like buttocks.

So funny. It's crazy for me to think that they will all be in second grade. Even crazier to think that my class from the year before that will be in third grade. Whoa!