Going back, back, BACK to SCHOOL

Pencil and I got to visit the elementary school the other day.
We were showing up to crash picture day and get pictures taken of the littlest monkey (this mom wants pictures match the bigger monkeys) Also because I realized that this little man has not had professional pictures taken. ever.

Sock was not really excited or humiliated by our being there, but Pencil was head-over-heels thrilled. He wanted to ride the bus that morning with Sock, but I made him wait and take the car with me.

It was such a surprise for me when we walked in. I have been to the elementary school many times in southern Arizona, but the outdoor hallways and desert feel never jolted my brain the way this school did.
As soon as we began down the hallway, all the smells and sounds immediately kicked my brain into teacher mode. It made me miss teaching. I haven't missed it in a long time.



Then we got to the classroom. The posters and pictures, books and papers. Even the overhead projector (now more fancy and computer-ish than in my day) The markers and crayons. The dozens of little faces!
I was secretly glad Pencil was so excited and looking at everything, because it gave me an excuse to look right along with him!

And it scared me that I missed it. It has been 8 years since I had a classroom of my own. There are so many parts of teaching I do not want to re-live (like grading mounds of papers or placating cranky parents) But I confess to feeling an itch to plan a guided reading group or attack a cool science experiment.
Maybe some things can't be unlearned.

It was also fun to watch my boys have pictures taken.

Pencil is not so good at standing still. (shocker) but I was so proud of him because he is wearing big-kid underpants.
We even visited the restrooms of the elementary school, with casual success like it happens every day. WOW!