Back to School/Back to Blog

Summer is over and it’s back to school … for most of us. 

I should say, it’s back to school for most of you. 

After I spent a year completing my Master’s Degree in Reading and successfully teaching 8^th graders to love books, I feel like I really should have been proud of my accomplishments.  Having a toddler and writing 10 page essays about language development wasn’t easy.  It’s also hard work to ignite the passion for reading in young teens who’ve grown accustomed to low expectations in their personal reading habits.  But, I thrived in these tasks.  My writing became powerful, and my teaching reached the students with amazing success. 

That’s part of the reason why being without a classroom for the past year has been difficult.  I’ve transitioned into being a ‘stay-at-home mom’, going to story-times and nature programs.  I’ve networked with other moms and set up play-dates.  I’ve even become more domestic, baking with my toddler, getting back into quilting, and worked on my unkempt summer garden.  But, being without a classroom full of students and books is a struggle.

While the past year has been full of great moments, I now watch my friends and colleagues return to school this year with envy and a bit of anxiousness.  I miss my students so much; I catch myself making mental notes about recommendations for an empty student roster. Is this a case of ‘once a teacher, always a teacher’?  Am I am hopeless book pusher, just waiting for my next target to match with a great book?

The past couple of months, I’ve stayed away from blogging, even limiting my blog reading to only my favorite blogs a couple times a week.  I’ve spent my computer time searching for a job, writing cover letters, and perfecting my resume.  I’ve had interviews with school districts where I boast about my passion for reading and books.  I will admit, I am excited to find a classroom of my own again.  Despite being interviewed by some amazing schools, it looks like this year may be another year spent without a classroom, without a set of student/readers, without a classroom library, and without my role as a classroom teacher.

Thanks for staying with me as blog readers.  It feels good to keep the air and explain where I’ve been.  I have to keep remembering that being a teacher isn’t the only way I can stay connected to literacy!  I’ve grown as a reading and teacher so much just from being part of the Lit-Kit-Blogosphere. I will try to update the blog again soon.  As I type, I already have a pile of books beside me plus 2 or 3 topics to blog about!  I’ve put aside much of my YA and MG reading, but still have much to say, including picture book reviews, adventures with my Lil Guy, (now age 3.5), and lots more to say about reading, literacy, and teaching.

Now, if you will excuse me, it's off to read, review, and write.  Yay!