4 Days
August 21, 2009
Yesterday my fabulous neighborhood got even more fabulous. I know. How can it possibly be? I feel like I have stepped into some freaky Norman Rockwell like universe.
Yesterday my younger children’s elementary school teachers stopped by the house on a “welcome walk.” It is the time when the kids find out who their teacher is for this school year. It is a much anticipated visit. With the amount of excitement in the neighborhood you would think that Santa Claus himself was coming to visit.
Kids were riding their bikes up and down the streets, going to their friends’ houses to tell them which teacher they got. The names of teachers seen driving around the neighborhood were shouted out like celebrity sightings.
My 8 and 10 yr old boys along with their friends decided to mark this occassion by having a huge water ballooon fight in the front yard so that when their teachers came they were dripping wet and the lawn was littered with popped balloons. Add to this the bad laryngitis that I have which makes me sound like a 10 pack a day smoker and well, I fear we were that “special” family.
My daughter’s teacher was the last one to come. She had sat patiently waiting, scanning each car that drove by the house.
Are you excited to meet your teacher?
Yes…
Mama?
Hmmmmm?
But what if she is mean?
She won’t be mean, sweetie. I think it is a rule that 1st grade teachers have to be nice.
But what if she doesn’t like me?
Not like you? That is crazy talk! There is not one thing about you not to like!
Finally her teacher arrived.
So what do you think now?
I think I like her, Mama.
Tonight we get to go to the school and see their classrooms. And lay to rest their fears that they will get lost in the school and be forced to wander aimlessly through the corridors for the rest of their lives.
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I’m impressed. My daughter is also going into 1st grade and know what I did? Completely blew off her new teacher by not going to the “assessment” - we are that “special” family too.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:11 amSooo adorable. I just love that last expression on her face! She can hardly contain her excitement. Good luck with the school year. I’m sure it will be a big adjustment, but probably a nice adjustment.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:12 amThey come to your house? You do live in a Norman Rockwell painting… that’s amazing!
August 21st, 2009 at 8:15 amWow, you’re almost converting me. I’m so happy for you there in your new neighborhood with all the crazy kids (that actually seem like they play outside! not so common anymore in these days) and good friends and sun!
August 21st, 2009 at 8:34 amI absolutely LOVE that school and the teachers and the fact that they go to every house of their students! What a wonderful way to start the year! (I’m in VA where you have to go to the school to meet the teachers the Friday before Labor Day bc school can’t start until afterwards bc of the tourism lobbying.argh.)
August 21st, 2009 at 8:35 amWell all my daughter is concerned about is being the “hottest” girl in 1st grade. I asked her what that meant and she said she’ll be the cutest dresses and the nicest.
Very well then.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:39 amYour neighborhood is bizzarely fabulous. It’s not called Stepford, is it?
August 21st, 2009 at 8:43 amLast night I was lying in bed thinking about how much I missed Austin! (RR to be exact) We had the greatest house in the greatest neighborhood (Wood Glen) and almost 3 yrs later I still miss it. I had forgotten that the teachers come visit.
Waahhhh!! Now I miss it even more!!
August 21st, 2009 at 8:44 amThe closest thing we had to that was a home visit by the Pre-K teacher. My daughter attended a Title 1 school (large percentage of low-income families) and I remember the visit felt sort of intrusive.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:46 amAdorable!
August 21st, 2009 at 8:47 amThat is so sweet! How nice that they come to your house. First grade is all about fun and nice teachers. I hope all of your kids love their new schools.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:48 amWhat a great idea, my husband wants to relocate to TX ( where he grew up) I will live in your neighborhood. It does sound like something out of a book.
She is so sweet
August 21st, 2009 at 8:52 amWhat a great idea that the teachers stop by. I’ve never heard of that before but it sounds like something special. Your daughter looks so excited - anxious at first, then relieved. How special.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:54 amI guess that means you get Miles all to yourself!
August 21st, 2009 at 8:57 amThat is such a NEAT tradition that the teachers go around the neighborhood to meet their students before school. Your daughter does totally look relieved in that last photo — so sweet!
August 21st, 2009 at 9:02 amThis year our elementary school teachers did a “Salamander Stroll” before school started to welcome their children and meet the teachers. Sounds like it went as well in your neighborhood as it did in ours. What a great concept!! Hope your little ones enjoy school!
August 21st, 2009 at 9:07 amOK, I think that is one of the coolest things EVER that the teachers come to your house for a Welcome Walk. I mean that is just excellent.
August 21st, 2009 at 9:07 amThe teachers come you?!? Really?!?! I want to move there.
August 21st, 2009 at 9:10 amAw, hell. Moved to tears this early in the morning is so wrong.
I am the mom of three, all school age kids, ages 14, 10 and 7. I hear in your daughter’s questions not only my own kids’ questions but my questions as well.
Will their teachers be kind?
Will their teachers see in them the good things I see?
Will Trey’s teacher help teach him to control his impulses and attention without crushing his spirit or making him feel badly about himself?
Yes, each year I worry as much as they do. I hope we all feel as relieved and as happy as your daughter. I hope they all get fantastic, wonderful teachers who appreciate their spirits!
Leeann
August 21st, 2009 at 9:31 amNiccofive.blogspot.com
The teachers drive around to meet the students?! How fantastic is that!
August 21st, 2009 at 9:41 amWhat’s not to like about that face?! Adorable! Best of luck with school this year
August 21st, 2009 at 9:49 amWhat an adorable, old-fashioned tradition! And who could not love that girl? Seriously.
August 21st, 2009 at 9:50 amYour daughter is too gorgeous
August 21st, 2009 at 9:50 amI am a kindergarten teacher in Quebec, Canada, and I love the idea of a “welcome walk”. How special and exciting for the little ones to get a visit from their soon-to-be teacher. Sadly, don’t think I would be able to sell the idea at my school board, but I think it’s great!
Awwwwww, so sweet. I’m 42, and I can still remember those days like they were yesterday. Thank you for sharing a great day with us. It is the teacher who will be lucky to have your daughter, what a sweetie!
August 21st, 2009 at 10:12 amI love them. You should send a copy of the post to her teacher at the end of the year. Was Miles a little sad nobody came for him?
August 21st, 2009 at 10:15 amAll of your children are absolutely adorable! I love the nervousness that the pictures above capture of your daughter. And then, the sheer delight that all is well in her world - she has a nice teacher! Precious!
August 21st, 2009 at 10:19 amVery cool that your teachers go around and meet everyone. I wish we did something like that here. Instead we torment them until the first day of school when we do a cattle call. Not very friendly at all I’m afraid.
August 21st, 2009 at 10:23 amThe teachers drop by each of their students homes? Are you serious? I think the teachers in our school district would revolt if asked to do that, my husband included! But what a nice touch, especially for the younger ones going to school for the first time, they get to meet their teacher from the comfort and security of their own home! Your neighborhood rocks!
Oh, and I showed my 8 yr old the skate park pictures and his response was “Sweet”! He’s a skater wannabe but sadly we live in a rural community with very few skater dudes to hang with!
August 21st, 2009 at 10:31 amWhy am I crying now? So, so sweet. Good luck to all your kiddies on their first day of school!
August 21st, 2009 at 10:45 amI teach first grade and anticipate meeting my students just as much!! Great post.
August 21st, 2009 at 10:51 amMy word - I could feel her nerves through the computer. So glad she got a nice one!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:03 amThe teachers come to your house to meet you? That is too cool!
BTW, why isn’t your daughter wearing a helmet in those photos? You know it’s dangerous to be sitting on one’s porch without a helmet on, right? An acorn could drop on her head or the sky could fall…:)
August 21st, 2009 at 11:03 amWhat an awesome school tradition! I love it. I have a feeling that your kids are going to love school and you will too (except when you are hating it!) But my experience of school having been at different points in my life a 1) teacher 2) homeschooling parent 3) private school parent 4) administrator 5) public school parent is that there are always things to love and things to make you crazy. I think it is called life.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:08 amok now you have to send us all the listings in your area because we so want a welcome walk also. Is that something they do in your district or is that something done in austin
August 21st, 2009 at 11:15 amfor all the schools.
What an awesome, exciting thing! I want to move into your universe…er…I mean, neighborhood!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:19 amshe’s such a cutie..it would be impossible not to love her!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:21 amWhat a wonderful thing! This driving around and greeting the kids does not happen in California! I think that sounds fabulous for the little kids!!!!! Lucky mamma!!!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:24 amWhat lovely pictures of your daughter!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:33 amThree shots of her pensive little self and then that fantastic one with her smile and glittering eyes!
How wonderful! Teaching by hospitality - that has got to be good. Love it when a true story is authentically charming.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:36 amWhat a wonderful custom!! I have never heard of anything like that. When my kids were in elementary school, their teachers would call them to welcome them. But a personal visit?? You are living in Rockwell-land and, I, for one, am jealous.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:46 amPRECIOUS beyond belief, the pictures, her adorableness, AND just proving AUSTIN rocks hard!!
My 9yo was just floored upon meeting his fourth grade teacher (he had heard *things*…) he almost burst sharing that she is SO wonderful!! (And she IS, my 8th grader had her once upon a time.)
Happy school year to you all!
August 21st, 2009 at 11:53 amYou remind me of my mom: awesome. And dang, every single one of your kids is cuter than the next. I don’t know how you manage not to eat Miles. Your daughter’s a beauty, and I’m so glad she got a good teacher. Yay for being about to read about your family.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:55 amWhat a face! It is all there, the shy anticipation, the wondering if she really will come..maybe this public school thing is too scary. And then that last photo..its all captured so beautifully, the heart full of relief and silent jubilation. Well done, Chris
August 21st, 2009 at 11:59 amThat is so great! I never heard of teachers going around the neighborhoods like that.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:01 pmThis is wonderful… completely wonderful!
August 21st, 2009 at 12:07 pmAaaw, I’m so excited for your kids. Your daughter is the cutest thing, I love the look on her face in the last pic. Will Miles be in K this year or is he still going to be a homebody for another year?
August 21st, 2009 at 12:17 pmI hope your children love school this year!
August 21st, 2009 at 12:42 pmHuh?!!! Next you are going to be getting house visiting doctors. OK, OK, I’ll go ahead and suppress my jealousy…but good grief woman…I so want to move there!LOL
August 21st, 2009 at 12:43 pmWhat a cool tradition! I’ve never heard of that before.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:48 pmReally? The teachers come to the kids’ homes? Is this a Texas thing? I never heard of that — and lovely as it must be for your kids and all, as a teacher I am gripped with fear at the idea of going to the homes of all 25 of my students. OMG.
I’m glad your daughter liked her teacher. As a former first grade teacher (now 3rd) I can assure you that you are correct — it is a RULE that they have to be nice!
Good luck with the first day of school!
August 21st, 2009 at 12:54 pmMy sister loved your post so much she had to share it with all of us! And all I can say is “Aww this is the cutest blog and most adorable story!” lol. Where the heck do you live that teachers do this sort of thing?! Your neighborhood sounds so wonderful and def “Norm” like! Congrats to your daughter on entering 1st grade! I’m sure she will do great!
August 21st, 2009 at 12:58 pmThat last picture is beautiful. You can see the excitement in her eyes. I hope they have a fabulous year!
August 21st, 2009 at 12:59 pmShe is incredibly CUTE!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:06 pmWhat a wonderful way to meet the teacher. I have never heard of that before…we just have your usual go up to the school for “Meet the Teacher”
August 21st, 2009 at 1:24 pmWhat a neat thing! In all the places I’ve lived, I’ve never heard of teachers introducing themselves via a home visit. Your family is so fortunate to have found a great neighborhood/community!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:30 pmThat’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:33 pmso sweet…she’s going to love school and fit right in!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:35 pmHow precious! Does their school start next week? I can’t wait to hear their stories!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:38 pmThat was an adorable photo essay. We did the Meet the Teacher thing last night. (Gracie starts kindergarten on Monday.) It was great! It totally MY fear that she will get lost at school or not know how to get her food or find her bus or just stand there lost, afraid, and crying.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:56 pmPriceless photos! Your daughter is so sweet.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:59 pmThis choked me up. I’m weird that way. But the pictures of your daughter while she is waiting are so perfectly wistful and the final photo captures the shy excitement so well. I’ve seen it all in my own children, I just haven’t captured it with my camera. Thanks for sharing yours.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:15 pmAwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
We had meet the teacher night last night. It went well. I have NEVER heard of teachers making house calls. WOW!
August 21st, 2009 at 2:35 pmA great neighborhood, indeed! I love, love, love this post, Chris. And the last picture is priceless!
August 21st, 2009 at 2:54 pmWhat an amazing story! And it’s real, too. Seriously? They come to your door. Oh. I wanna live in your neighborhood! And the pictures you illustrated with are priceless. Thanks for sharing.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:08 pmThat last photo is adorable!
August 21st, 2009 at 3:14 pmI love the idea of a “welcome walk”, although as a kindergarten teacher I’m not sure I’m up to it. We do have an ice cream social in our classrooms just for kindergarteners before school starts.
I love the pictures. I think you captured every emotion on her face. I was ready to cry looking at her nervous little face. So sweet! I hope all of your kids have a good first day!
August 21st, 2009 at 3:18 pmAny other houses for sale in your ‘hood?
August 21st, 2009 at 3:34 pmYeah, so we don’t live in TX, but this makes me wanna.
That is awesome - both the Welcome Stroll and that the kids are so excited about it.
August 21st, 2009 at 4:15 pmAny thoughts yet what you and Miles are going to do alone in that big house once school starts? Can you even remember the last time you only had one kid?
August 21st, 2009 at 4:34 pmShe is just precious. I can’t believe she’s a first grader! You haven’t mentioned him in a while, but how is your hubby doing?
August 21st, 2009 at 4:43 pmI can’t wait to hear what you and your kids think of school!
August 21st, 2009 at 5:14 pmWhere do you live?! That’s amazing. Even when I lived in a rural town in Washington when I was a kid they didn’t do anything like that.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:50 pmWhen my kids went to parochial school the teachers came out for a home visit before school started, just like this one. Our poor teacher had to navigate chickens, turkeys, horses, cats and dogs before making it to the front door, not to mention a 6 mile drive on a gravel road best suited to a beat-up 4wd. I warned her beforehand, but the look on her face once she made it was pretty priceless I must say. I was glad of one thing — she did understand when we didn’t come to school if the weather was going to be “iffy”.
August 21st, 2009 at 6:04 pmIs that their fear or yours? My kids would love to roam the corridors all day!
August 21st, 2009 at 6:19 pmThe expression on your daughter’s face is priceless!!!
August 21st, 2009 at 6:27 pmHow is Miles feeling about having everyone gone all day?
August 21st, 2009 at 6:46 pmI’m a teacher in North Carolina and home visits is something that we have been told is going to be expected of us starting this year. I teach at a Title 1 school and getting the parents in to see us is almost impossible at times so when conferences roll around, we are going to head to them. However, they don’t want us to go alone due to some of the neighborhoods we’ll have to go into. I’m *anxious* to see how it all goes. As far as a welcome, I always call my students before school starts but generally only have about a 60% success rate in having a working phone number unfortunately.
August 21st, 2009 at 7:18 pmI can’t beleive that the teachers stop by the house–I think you live in Mayberry! Lovely!
August 21st, 2009 at 7:53 pmWow that is really cool! Your daughter looks so HOT! Like hot like perspiring, in the sun is too close to Texas not HOT like hot because that would be pediphilic and that’s totally not what I mean.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:08 pmWhoa, seriously? The teachers come to you? WOW. Do they even want to talk about your children? Because if they do I am even more jealous! I want to move to this utopia you live in.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:50 pmHow exciting! For them and you…do you think Miles will be lonely? Will you? My youngest is a first grader this year and started Monday…I’ve really enjoyed the quiet this week but must admit I did shed a tear.
August 21st, 2009 at 9:06 pmThat is the neatest thing I’ve ever heard!! Why oh why didn’t I grow up in Austin???
August 21st, 2009 at 10:11 pmthat is a cool tradition- I ESP like they way they kids were all calling out the names - like teaching ” rockstars” …..
what a gift your grandchildren will have to share with their parents.
August 21st, 2009 at 10:50 pmI love the photo essay… all her emotions. you know - you are really giving them an amazing gift by documenting their lives this way — someday , in the not distant enough future - when her 1st grade bound daughter is nervous , and perhaps having trouble expressing that - your daughter can bring out her photos and tell HER story - and her child will never be able to tell her ” you just don’t understand….”
The photos say it all! If only they’d come next year for my Squib…he’s already nervous!!!
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:10 amHow awesome. Our school does the boring come to school the Friday before, and I noticed my son’s 2nd grade teacher was not terribly friendly. Ugh.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:22 amI think that is the neatest thing ever that the teacher come visit their future students at home!
August 22nd, 2009 at 2:23 amAw, she’s so scrumptious! I did meet a mean first grade teacher once though, but maybe the “rules” were different in the early 70s!
August 22nd, 2009 at 7:38 amok, i am moving to texas.
yesterday ^^
ok, some day i guess…
i think here only the kindergarten teachers come to visit. and there is some talk of a kindergarten picnic but i have NO CLUE at all about when what how.
being a special family just like you ^^
Karen
August 22nd, 2009 at 9:31 amThat is so neat! My daughter goes to a private school (not much choice where we live). The teachers would be trekking from one end of the city to the other b/c our students are so spread out!
August 22nd, 2009 at 10:54 amI’m currently cleaning the nooks and crannies of my house trying to prepare for my oldest daughter’s teacher visit on Tuesday. It would be a lot easier if the two year old would remember that he potty trained two months ago and stop having “accidents” all over the house today.
I think it’s fabulous they meet the kids on their turf and get to know the families a little. We have a really gradual introduction here, too. Today is a party in the park for all families and the teachers of my daughter’s classroom. Tuesday is our scheduled welcome-visit at home. The next Monday is our “stop by the school for a few hours” open house. The first “day” of school each student has a private 15 minute appointment (with parents) to come in, drop off spare clothes, talk to the teacher, and get oriented and that’s it for our day. Then she’ll actually start the day after that. Even with all that she’s nervous, so I’m really glad we don’t have a cold-start.
August 22nd, 2009 at 11:48 amAre you kidding me? When I was a teacher I would have given anything to have her for a student! She is precious!!
August 22nd, 2009 at 2:18 pmOkay so my husband is looking for a job and if we end up in Austin, I am totally hitting you up to find out what neighborhood you are in. It sounds awesome.
August 22nd, 2009 at 2:43 pmI am a 4th grade teacher and we meet our future class on the last day of school. I love the tradition, but for those new kids who aren’t there the previous year we do have a meet the teacher night before school starts. Ths kids get to bring in their supplie and unpack their stuff into their new desks and look around. I would love to be able to go to the students’ houses, but that would not be welcomed in our district! It would be great to be able to see the students in their own element, but it might not be quite as happy as your little porch in our situation! I am so glad that your daughter is thrilled~.
August 22nd, 2009 at 3:08 pmAwwww, your daughter is just sooooo cute!
As for the tradition in your neighborhood - way to go, neighborhood! I’d never dream about something like that, but I guess many things about your schools would surprise me as hell if I knew them. Anyway, I’m glad your daughter like her teacher, I thinks it’s very important in a life of a child.
regards,
August 22nd, 2009 at 4:47 pmAmelia.
Why am I crying right now? SO sweet, so intimate, so unlike my grade school days. I must be PMS-ing or something right now.
August 22nd, 2009 at 6:55 pmI’ll try reading this again in a few days and see if I’m still a mess.
But there is ‘this thing’ about your writting that gets to me, and everyone I share you with.
Big fan, over a year now.
Well, we get Welcome postcards…sometimes. Depends on the teacher. Yep. Yours is better.
August 22nd, 2009 at 11:39 pmThank you so much for sharing this, Chris. This time of year always makes me feel nostalgic and I loved this post!!
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:39 amShe. Is. Simply. Beautiful.
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:43 pmAll I can say is, “WOW”. What a great place to live! I miss living in the South. We have received a letter regarding back to school night at my kids’ schools and it tells us parents NOT to bring the kids because the teachers do not have the time to talk with them. They only want to speak with the adults. Am I missing something?
August 24th, 2009 at 9:01 amThis is just so sweet. Her little hopeful expression almost breaks my heart.
August 25th, 2009 at 2:44 pm