Summer Renewal

I'm sitting in my living room surrounded by stacks of books, papers and notebooks. I have pages and pages of notes on some of the great professional books I've read this summer. I spent a long time at Staples trying to find the perfect new binder to use as my planning book this year. It's hot pink and sitting beside me. I also bought one so that I could begin to put together a notebook to use when conferencing with students about their reading. It's on the sofa behind me. I have a new set of content standards because I'm changing grade levels this year. There is a draft of a pacing guide I've created for myself. I've been doing so much over the summer gathering information and the tools I'm going to need, and now I'm getting ready to put these new tools to work. I think that one of the best things about teaching is the chance that we are given over and over to begin again. I always feel that I've been given a chance to take a deep breath before jumping in. An opportunity for renewal. This year after a long summer break, I am refreshed and ready.

Welcome back to a new school year my friends.