Today is August 1, so it seems strange to talk about a new school year already, but we’ve been back for a couple of weeks now. My district has changed to a new calendar, and honestly I’m not mad about it. Yes, we teachers headed back to school on July 11 (that sounds obscene), and kids followed soon after, but really, it hasn’t been bad. Granted my perspective has changed, but I’m looking forward to the two week breaks we’ll get in the fall, winter, and spring. I’ve been telling myself that thanks to the new schedule, I will have plenty of time for my globe-trotting adventures. Truthfully though, I don’t have any travel plans in mind, aside from a trip to my hometown to visit family and friends.

So, why has my perspective shifted? Well, I’ve taken a new job. I’m at the same school, but I’m no longer a regular classroom teacher. Now I’m a teacher of gifted students, which means I see kids from kindergarten to fifth grade throughout the week. Today I spent my day with second and fifth grade students, tomorrow kindergarten and fourth are on the docket.

I empathize with the classroom teachers. We’re in the midst of the most brutal stretch of hot weather that I’ve experience in the three decades I’ve lived here, so there’s no outdoor recess once the school day begins. Thankfully kids can play outside for a few minutes before the morning bell, before the day becomes unbearably hot, but that’s the only time outdoors they have. There’s no messing around with the heat advisory message sent out by the district each morning. The heat is dangerous, so the kiddos stay inside. Indoor recess is hard, especially here where we have mild winters and kids are outside almost every day. Every day, except in the summer.

But you know what? I don’t have to worry about it. I don’t have a classroom full of kids who need to burn off some energy. I have small groups throughout the day, and the work we do is interesting and engaging, so kids stay focused. I’m really enjoying the change. It’s a lot of work, adjusting to an entirely new set of demands, but I’m up for it. I’m finding that I especially like working with my first grade students, who terrified me before I actually spent some time with them. And of course my fifth graders. These are the kids who I taught last year in my reading class (and some in my homeroom). I adore these kids. They’re kind, funny, hardworking, and curious.

So there you have it, a brief glimpse into my new role, and my new attitude. Teaching gifted kids is fun. I’m so glad I have the privilege to spend my days with them, and to learn from them at least as much as they learn from me.