Since the very first day of school, my students and I have recited daily affirmations to kick off our  class time together.  It is honestly one of the highlights of my day and it brings me SO much joy.

Today was the first day of my eighth year of teaching and, unlike other first days of school, this one was on the computer. Like many schools this fall, my school system decided to start the school year virtually.

Teachers have officially been back to work for a while now and many of us, including myself, are completely overwhelmed by the thought of this school year.

A tradition I’ve had since I first started teaching (seven years ago) is to send some snail mail to my students a week or so before the first day of school. It is a little gesture that I hope brings them joy and gets them excited about starting the new school year!