Here is the last weekday before the Monday of the first day of the new year! I wonder if students ever know how many teachers (like me) get really worked up over the first day of school. That first impression – first handshake of the school year is a mighty important one. I wonder if my students ever can sense behind my dour, perfectly labeled, stapled, alphabetically, hole punched demeanor that there is an eager-eyed little boy who can’t wait to open up the wrapper of his number two pencils and snap his binder open for the very first time. Read more