Binders & Butterflies

I woke up this morning with butterflies in my stomach, a bit anxious, a bit excited. It happens every year around this time. Tomorrow is the first day of school. Growing up, I used to love the back-to-school shopping, labeling all my supplies, putting together a new outfit for the first day. And then when school actually began, I reveled in getting my locker organized, writing out my schedule in my neatest handwriting, making sure my notebooks and binders were colour-coded [yes, I was that kid].

In more recent years, this time of year still held that air of importance for me, but from a different angle: I was the teacher. I got to order school supplies for the whole class! [I love the Staples catalog like some people worship the IKEA one!] I enjoy organizing my classroom, labeling each subject area, making seating plans and charts for the students.

This September, I wasn't planning on teaching, deciding instead to extend a self-designated maternity leave since while in NYC, I was back at work part time when Indio was 3 months old! [Don't get me started on the perils of US maternity benefits...or lack thereof.] I was hoping to enter the Canadian workforce again in Sept '10, when Indio would be old enough to join a toddler classroom in the Montessori school I would be working at. I didn't want to worry about the hassle of childcare this year, and after talking to E, we both decided it would be better, both financially and emotionally, for me to stay home with Indy for this next year.

Well, that all changed when a good Montessorian and friend of mine called me up one Thursday afternoon with the offer of a job at a school on the outskirts of Toronto. It was a temporary position, ironically covering the end of another teacher's maternity leave. I was very hesitant to make the call to arrange to meet my future boss, more because I didn't want to have to think about all the juggling and scheduling I would have to do if I decided to take this position.

In the end, I took it. Since the position is only guaranteed for the month of September, I figured it would be a good way to get my feet wet in the whole full-time-working-mom world. Tomorrow is the first day of classes. I hope my students like the outfit I picked out. Wish me luck!

My old elementary school had this reminder up all summer.