~and they never even failed~
The school supply lists are out once again as parents and kids anticipate that first day of school exactly one month from yesterday. Any day now all kinds of back to school sales will be advertised with the aisles of local discount stores packed full of people and merchandise.
It's getting to be the time of year to return to the classroom.
I remember the expense with 3 children of my own to provide for.
I don't know how families do it these days.
There were 7 kids in the Scott family, all spread out with the oldest being born in 1941 and the baby of the family in 1957. Although there was never a time that all 7 of us at once were school age, we came mighty close to it. In the early days, my father was a farmer and drove the milk truck for the TipTop Dairy out of Moundridge, Kansas. Money was tight but my folks always managed to put a new pair of shoes on our feet each September, pay the rent on our textbooks each fall, and pick up whatever school supplies were needed. Not sure how they did that but they never failed.
I took a glance at the items needed for the fifth graders of Ponca City Public Schools. It's so interesting to reflect how the times have changed since I was a 5th grade girl more than 50 years ago now. As I looked at the school list my own students will select from, I saw many of the familiar items my folks would have purchased. Things like pencils, wide lined notebook paper, a box of crayons, bottles of glue, and a pair of tennis shoes for gym class were standards back in 1965 just like today in 2019. These days they are also asked to bring things like a ream of copy paper, Ziploc baggies, Clorox wipes, and hand sanitizer. As a teacher, I'm grateful to see things like this added because I know how much I will use them in the months ahead.
One of the things I'll be telling my new students on the first day of school is that Mike and I will help to provide everything that they need for a successful fifth grade year. For us that means stocking up on basic supplies each time we make a trip to Walmart. Our grocery cart will always include snack items for the kids to enjoy because there is no way to fill a child's mind with knowledge if their stomach is on "empty". The Renfro Family will be some of their greatest of encouragers and that encouragement will last long beyond the confines of the 8-3 school day.
Someone asked me the other day when I thought I might retire at long last and call it "good" for my career in education. I told them that when I no longer looked forward in eager anticipation all summer long for the first day of school, then I would know the time had surely come.
I'm not there yet.
Thank God.
It's getting to be the time of year to return to the classroom.
I remember the expense with 3 children of my own to provide for.
I don't know how families do it these days.
There were 7 kids in the Scott family, all spread out with the oldest being born in 1941 and the baby of the family in 1957. Although there was never a time that all 7 of us at once were school age, we came mighty close to it. In the early days, my father was a farmer and drove the milk truck for the TipTop Dairy out of Moundridge, Kansas. Money was tight but my folks always managed to put a new pair of shoes on our feet each September, pay the rent on our textbooks each fall, and pick up whatever school supplies were needed. Not sure how they did that but they never failed.
And this wasn't even all of us! Do you see that twinkle in my daddy's eye? That's Cindy!
I took a glance at the items needed for the fifth graders of Ponca City Public Schools. It's so interesting to reflect how the times have changed since I was a 5th grade girl more than 50 years ago now. As I looked at the school list my own students will select from, I saw many of the familiar items my folks would have purchased. Things like pencils, wide lined notebook paper, a box of crayons, bottles of glue, and a pair of tennis shoes for gym class were standards back in 1965 just like today in 2019. These days they are also asked to bring things like a ream of copy paper, Ziploc baggies, Clorox wipes, and hand sanitizer. As a teacher, I'm grateful to see things like this added because I know how much I will use them in the months ahead.
One of the things I'll be telling my new students on the first day of school is that Mike and I will help to provide everything that they need for a successful fifth grade year. For us that means stocking up on basic supplies each time we make a trip to Walmart. Our grocery cart will always include snack items for the kids to enjoy because there is no way to fill a child's mind with knowledge if their stomach is on "empty". The Renfro Family will be some of their greatest of encouragers and that encouragement will last long beyond the confines of the 8-3 school day.
Someone asked me the other day when I thought I might retire at long last and call it "good" for my career in education. I told them that when I no longer looked forward in eager anticipation all summer long for the first day of school, then I would know the time had surely come.
I'm not there yet.
Thank God.
Comments
Post a Comment