Ready or Not

I have spent the last several days preparing my classroom for the 22 children that will soon sit at the tables and play with the toys. Although there is more that I would have liked to accomplish by now (there always seems to be more work to be done), the students are coming! Tomorrow is my first day with my 2009-2010 kindergarten class.

I had the opportunity to meet my students during an Open House event last Thursday evening. The little ones all seemed very sweet, but of course, they don't usually show their true colors until a few days into the school year.

I went into school today to tie up a few loose ends before the official start to the school year. In my mailbox, I found peppermint oil body wash and a card printed with the following poem:

Wake Up, Mrs. Auerbach!

The teacher who sleeps in

And wakes feeling groggy

Has a hard time the first week

'Cause her brain is so foggy.

The teacher who wakes up

With snap and with zest

Will have a great year

Perhaps, even her best.

But teachers have worked hard

Moving desks, labeling hooks

And trying to apply

What they've learned in new books.

For weeks they've been thinking

How they'll change this or that.

When it's close, they don't sleep well.

Awake again? Drat!!!

The alarms wake them up

To the showers they stumble

It's the first week of school

Teachers better not fumble!

A boost is what's needed!

Coffee's not what I mean!

I'm thinking of mint

As you get yourself clean.

So here's a little something

To help you to arise

And greet each brand new school day

Before you open your eyes.

The card and gift were from one of my new students and her family. What a fun idea! I may be in need of the minty boost from the body wash tomorrow morning - I'm tired tonight, and I'm sure waking will be difficult in the morning!