In fact, when I woke up at 4:30 am not able to sleep, it wasn't that I was thinking about. I was thinking about R and his first day back with new kids today. It will be a different year for him. With the new building and grade shifting, he has two groups of new kids this year instead of his typical one new group. The new group is a third grade group. (Have you hung out with a third grader lately? Those guys are little!)
It will be a different year for him but I know it will be a great year for him. He is the best teacher I know- which is saying a lot because I know a ton of really great teachers and, well, he's a PE teacher. (Oh come on, I know you were thinking it too. We all know how everyone feels about PE teachers.)
He really is good though. He cares about his students but he's their teacher first, not their friend. He has high expectations of them, and they rise to the occasion. He teaches them to live healthy lives. He works to help them grow into better people, not just better 'athletes.' He (and his wife) pray for his kids.
To be real honest, PE was not my strong suite growing up. And PE (and a lot of the PE teachers) never had a good rep with me. (My own PE teacher didn't make me participate, he had me grade papers for his other classes. Classmates in college going for PE begged me to do their homework.) However, R has really changed my mind about PE teachers and the class. He works hard at what he does and really does care. He really is the best teacher I know.
I pray that R (and all the other teachers!) have an awesome year back this year. I pray that they have good rosters, productive professional development and administrators making wise decisions for their students. I pray that they spend this year connecting with their students and helping them to grow into better people. I pray that it's an awesome year for all of them!- I know it will be for R! (How can it not be? He's already had home cooked meals from the PW cookbook this school year- that would not have happened in previous first weeks back. And he gets an extra week vacation to hang out with me and the little guy.)
Happy School Year!
