Fall is Here

Welcome back to school! It's time to get back into the academic mode and hit the books. I'm very excited about many events this school year. I'm really looking forward to Honors English IV, in which we are going to have some very interesting discussions and presentations. I'm excited to keep teaching the inquisitive sophomores, the class I sponsor. I love American Literature, and introducing this year's juniors to some of my favorite classics will be very satisfying. I also love getting to know the new freshmen each year with their "I Am . . ." poems. Of course there are other, personal, things in my life that seem to overshadow school right now, but the coming of autumn will always bring to mind my favorite activity of all: the beginning of school.

A song first written and performed by the White Stripes, then made famous by Jack Johnson describes my feelings and memories about my many years in school and teaching school.

We're Going to Be Friends

Fall is here, hear the yell
back to school, ring the bell
brand new shoes, walking blues
climb the fence, books and pens
I can tell that we're going to be friends

Walk with me, Suzy Lee
through the park and by the tree
we will rest upon the ground
and look at all the bugs we found
then safely walk to school
without a sound

Well here we are, no one else
we walked to school all by ourselves
there's dirt on our uniforms
from chasing all the ants and worms
we clean up and now it's time to learn

Numbers, letters, learn to spell
nouns, and books, and show and tell
at playtime we will throw the ball
back to class, through the hall
teacher marks our height
against the wall

And we don't notice any time pass
we don't notice anything
we sit side by side in every class
teacher thinks that I sound funny
but she likes the way you sing

Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed
when silly thoughts go through my head
about the bugs and alphabet
and when I wake tomorrow I'll bet
that you and I will walk together again
cause I can tell that we're going to be friends