Tonight after work I am going to take my niece and nephew to pick out their school supplies. They go back tomorrow. I am so excited. There is just something about brand new pencils, clean notebooks, shiny folders that thrills me.
It takes me back. I always loved the beginning of school. I enjoyed taking the trip to Office Max and picking up everything on the teacher's list. I never got into the fancy printed folders with cartoon or television characters on them. Instead, I stuck with basic colors--for instance, Language Arts was always yellow, Math was always read. I liked to be organized from the beginning and it just didn't make sense to have a My Little Pony folder for Social Studies. I would always veer off the list if it requested "wide-ruled" paper. Ridiculous--college ruled is the only way to go!
Looking back, I think I liked it because the first day of school was always a fresh start. There was the hope that your classmates would've forgotten that you were the one who threw up on the teacher's desk last winter. (They didn't). You know what I mean. With a "real job" there's no fresh start-every day is a continuation of the one before.
Everyone loves a new beginning. And it's even better when that new beginning is accompanied by freshly sharpened pencils and a new pencil box!
**The craziest thing is that I was reviewing their lists last night in anticipation for our trip tonight and some of the "supplies" seem rather outrageous. Ziploc baggies (all different sizes and MUST have the glide lock), Sharpie Ultra Fine Marker (um, I don't know why first grader would need this!), 2 rolls of paper towels, 3 boxes of tissues...you get the point. Seems we are providing some "supplies" for the teacher's household!
Next thing you know, students will be required to bring in toilet paper.
7 comments:
I share your enthusiasm for school supplies.. I used to buy them even when I had no person in particular to buy them for! I worked at Office Max in high school and it was my best job ever. I was on a constant high from all of the composition notebooks and medium point pens.
Kids need more than the basic school supplies because teachers are receiving less and less support for all of those "extras". I hope your sister doesn't yell at you after reading your accusation of teachers stashing supplies in their home closets!
So true, Jamie! I have to ask for students to bring in construction paper. I only get 2 packs a year!!!
And liz, no one will remember if you puked once, it's just that you puked every year 'til 5th grade. And you never could quite make it to the bathroom!!!!!!
Just so we're clear, I threw up in school in: Kindergarten, 1st grade, and second grade. No other years! And what my sister meant by "you never could make it to the bathroom" means that I was too nervous to ask permission because I was shy-hence the getting sick in school situation. It sounded like you were trying to say in addition to getting sick, I also had no control over my bladder--NOT THE CASE.
K, 1st and 2nd is cute but can you imagine throwing up the first day of 7th grade...all over Andy Demkee and the homeroom floor?
I can.
I used to get car sick as a kid. On the first day of junior high, I rode the bus to school, got car sick, and made it off the bus just in time to throw up in front of the LINE OF BUSES waiting to go into school.
I win.
liz. i was somewhat raging while reading the end of this post.
a) your roomie and sister and boyfriend are all teachers
b) none of us are exceptionally wealthy
c) there is no way in hell i am buying kleenex for my class. or baggies. or clorox wipe.
d) i still love you, but watch it.
Wealth isn't always measured in dollars. Sometimes it is measured in 90 days off in the summer WHILE YOU STILL GET PAID.
Total bill for the supplies $60-and that was for only one kid. My nephew had already bought his. $60 is ridiculous. Please explain why a child must provide paper towels when the school provides them in all the bathrooms and sinks? Is there something wrong with those paper towels? Why not use soap and water instead of clorox wipes? Just saying...
My brother said if he were a teacher he'd add a 12 pack of Bud to the list. Makes just about as much sense as paper towels! ;-) (jabs-please don't come after me in my sleep-I'm only half joking)
Post a Comment