School Supplies!

I have a secret to share!  Lean in and come a little closer as I share this secret.  It is a secret that only my family really knows!  I am sure that they want to form or find a support group for me.

Here it is . . .

I love school supplies!  I love school shopping and getting my materials ready for school.  I love all the colorful goodies associated with organizing and preparing for school.  All through the year, I cannot resist strolling down the school supply isles, whether I need something or not.

There is just something so special about the anticipation and excitement that comes with gathering my supplies for a brand new school year!  The colors and styles speak to me!  They call out to me to be creative, innovative, and resourceful!

Whether it be a new folder in my favorite color, a brand new composition notebook, or a package of crisp, white folder paper, I am always inspired by what "school supplies" mean to me.  It means that it is a time for new beginnings, new ideas, new ways to create, explore, and stretch my wings!  It is a chance to try new things, search for new ideas, and discover new ways of learning and teaching.  As a teacher, this is fuel for my heart and I love it!

As a child, my Mom made preparing for a new school year a special event!  We all looked forward to purchasing a new outfit or two for the coming school year!  So much fun!  As we looked over our supply lists for the coming year, we all participated in the planning and execution of searching for supplies for five kids!  It was a math lesson to figure out exactly how much of each item was needed, but it was also a team-building lesson too!  We had to work together to accomplish our task and we loved it, or at least I did!

My Mom always let us join her for our annual pilgrimage to our local "Longs Drugstore" to choose and purchase our new school supplies.  It felt like Christmas to me as I chose my items with careful consideration to color, style, and design!  I remember the joyful anticipation as we unpacked each brown paper sack and made a pile for each child in our family.  Each item in my pile represented new hopes for the coming year:  to succeed, to make my parents proud, and to learn new things.  In her sweet and gentle way, my Mom communicated to us that she believed in us, school was a priority, and she wanted us to be completely prepared!

As a parent and teacher, I want the kids in my life to know that school is a priority and I will do whatever it takes to prepare them for an outstanding new year!  So . . . as I prepare each homework folder and each new bulletin board, I hope to communicate that I value each student!  As I organize my supplies, lessons, and activities, I hope to demonstrate excellence and the joy of learning to my students!  As I get my classroom ready for the new school year, I want my students to know that I love that I get to spend my days being their teacher!

To this day, I think that is why I love school supplies!  It is a reminder of the importance of remembering just what a new year represents.  It is not just about pretty new folders and sweet smelling erasers . . . it is about HOPE and NEW BEGINNINGS for my students and for me!