Suddenly It's August

Suddenly, or so it seems, the month of August has arrived. The crickets have become audible, bees are more pesky, and lawns are a crusty, crackling brown.

When I was active as a teacher, August was a bittersweet month. The end of summer break was coming fast, meaning every week there would be an attempt to squeeze in as much activity as possible before the responsibilities of the classroom began to overwhelm and overtake any thoughts of “free” time. August, for me was a month filled with anxiety and apprehension as well as anticipation. I know that I was not alone.

Planning for the needs of a new group of students, even when there are some known clues as to needs, is an art. Often it turns out that what was anticipated doesn’t pan out. This can be a good thing. Or a not-so-good thing. It continued to surprise me throughout my career, even though experience should have been more informative. Kids are, after all, humans, and their connections to a teacher’s personality and style can be unpredictable.

I am thinking of these August days as I wonder about our granddaughter’s upcoming month, a month when so much will change for her. She will be making her own connections to school - her teacher, her peers - and learning new things. As one who loved going to school (mostly), my deepest wish for our granddaughter is that school is a positive experience for her as well - that she flourishes in wonder and learns to love learning. She, and every child, deserves that.

So now, even though away from active teaching, I find August is once again that amalgam of anxiety and anticipation once again.

August has arrived.