School Supplies

Everywhere you turn, there are sales on school supplies. Pocket folders for 15 cents. Notebooks, glue sticks, crayons, pencils, lunch boxes and more. I have always loved school supplies. I even like how they smell-I mean, who doesn't like the smell of a brand new box of crayons?

For some reason, this year school supplies are having an interesting effect on me. Phillip said, "the school supplies are out, are you happy?" I had to answer...no. And here's why. School supplies remind me how much I miss teaching kids. When I first started my doctoral work, I told my advisor that I missed the classroom. She replied with, "well, I'm not going to lie to you-it's a hole that never really gets filled". Maybe that's why I spend so much time in schools-doing research and helping teachers...I'm trying to fill a hole.

I love my work, but I secretly wish I could go back to the classroom sometimes...lots of times. I would be a better teacher now, for one thing. But there's something powerful about starting off a year knowing that your students are going to learn lots of things from you that they didn't know before. There are so many wonderful, hilarious, and touching moments in the classroom. I haven't forgotten that there are lots of frustrations, too. But that's any job. Believe me, higher ed is no different.

I'm guessing I'll start getting excited about school supplies again when we have kids. I'll probably ask for school supplies at my baby shower (just kidding). Shopping for school supplies will surely be an event in our house. After all, I've got to get my fix somehow.

So, to all my teacher friends, you're lucky. I know you don't want the summer to end...but when you step into your classroom with that Target bag full of new crayons, remember that there's at least one person who is completely jealous of you at that moment.