Back to School Night

This week is moving by quickly, as we get back into our school-year routine. I've worked in the yard, trimming bushes and deadheading flowers while Austin and Lauren play outside. Last night I got my hair cut and highlighted. Brian took the kids to the park, where they had a great time! Tonight when I came home he and the kids were hiding and finding Austin's Thomas trains, like an Easter egg hunt, but with train engines and cars.

Tonight I went to back-to-school night, to hear an overview of what Julia will be doing in class this year, learn about homework expectations, see her books and a sample of the first few days' work she's done. I am glad Julia has the teacher she does. Mrs. "F." started out by saying, "You all probably wonder how old I am. Well, I am 175 years old. I've been 175 for the last 20 years." :) I just really liked her attitude on some things she talked about. She said she wants all the parents to give their kids a chore. She said some parents don't want their kids to work and and think it's mean for their kids to have chores, but that the kids need it. They can do jobs because they are part of the family. Plus it makes them feel important. Regarding homework: they will get a packet sent home at the beginning of the week. Mrs. F does not care what days it gets done, just that it is finished by the end of the week. She said, "If your family goes to prayer on Wednesdays or to visit Grandma on Tuesday nights, your child doesn't have to do homework then. Make it work for your family. Children should be outside finding ants, having snail races, taking music lessons--not only doing homework." The kids are required to do so many (I forgot the number) sets of math problems in 5 minutes, and get 100% on them. Mrs. F said, "80% is swell. Until you go to add 40 + 20 in your checkbook and come up with 72. Accuracy is important, and they need to know that." She mentioned the 10 field trips her class would be taking (I wondered about that number already! Seems like a lot!). She said, "They (meaning the administration I assume!) always look funny about that. But oh well!" :) :) I guess when you are 175 years old, you are not afraid of the administration! Ha ha One of the field trips will be to sing for the Women's Club. Mrs. F said, "We can't sing Christmas carols anymore. But we can still sing Christmas songs!"--all said in a way that you could just tell she thought it was ridiculous about the carols. While we were looking through our students' books, Mrs. F brought up the picture dictionaries. She said she is the only teacher who has those. Years ago (and I checked the copyright date, they looked old! c. 1971!!) she discovered a principal throwing them out. She said she "dumpster dove" and rescued them! They are cute little dictionaries! Anyway, I have a good feeling about Mrs. F! She is something else, all right. She is a short little lady, with long, long gray/black hair that is often twisted up in a loose bun. She wears dresses most (maybe all??) of the time. Julia has told me that Mrs. F has such pretty dresses. She remembers one in particular that she is waiting for Mrs. F to wear!

This picture was actually taken just before school ended last year. Julia was reading a Junie B. Jones book. For awhile those were all she wanted to read! I thought she should at least read some other books too! Since then, she has really enjoyed the Magic Treehouse series, Cam Jansen mysteries (thanks Leslie for mentioning them!), Rainbow and Weather Fairies series', Animal Ark books, and others. She's started reading The Babysitters Club Little Sister books, which is kind of funny to me, as I read lots of The Babysitters Club books myself, years ago! On the fireplace hearth Julia has books set up as part of her library. She made a library on the hearth, mantle and windowsill in the family room, with her very own books, and the rest of us in the family could check them out. She held story time for Austin and Lauren, and had her sand dollar shell on display, all part of her library. :)