School Year 2012

Our sweet boys started school today. Nathan reluctantly marched off to 1st grade. He mentioned several times last week that he REALLY loves homeschooling. Subtlety is not his forte. Matthew looked forward to 5th grade just as any normal, red-blooded, American, sleep-in-all-summer boy would. 

Nathan's teacher is exactly what I wanted. Her classroom is organized and bright and focused on reading, reading, and reading. She is organized and bright. It's such a refreshing change from last year. And I controlled myself very well...didn't even come close to hugging her like I wanted to out of pure happiness. When I left him there I was a little sad, but I knew he was in good hands. He had already befriended a boy named Fletcher and I decided I hope they are best buds. What's not to like about a 6 year old with brown hair named Fletcher?

Matthew's two teachers seem great. His homeroom teacher is a man and it's just a totally different feel. I watched him talk to some of the kids and he's just relaxed and funny. He's not the type of teacher that will necessarily hug the kids or comfort them...but he'll nudge them with his elbow, and get them to crack a smile while learning about the cottage industry and the industrial revolution. He also has a bass and two deer hanging on his classroom walls. His cool factor went up exponentially in Matthew's eyes. 

When I grow up I want to be like his other teacher. She is ON it! She teaches all of the language arts and boy will she be asking a lot of them. They learn, write, and perform plays (instead of doing yet another worksheet). She uses novels and activities to teach the simplest of ideas. And they brought back the good ol' fashioned spelling test. Apparently last year this district abandoned the idea of spelling things correctly. It must have gone really well because they've completely reversed their thinking this year. I'm glad to see it. She even grades handwriting. Matt would rather pull his fingernails out than write in cursive...this will be good for him!

No first day of school is complete without the requisite front door pic. 

Matthew informed me there would be NO pictures on school grounds. I teased him that I planned on taking a picture of him sitting at his desk. He couldn't roll his eyes back into his head fast enough. Love him. 

Anyway, here's Nater and his new teacher. So cute!

Let the school year begin!