Sweet Autumn

I'm a summer girl at heart, but there is just something *MAGICAL* about fall.  Although I'm still recovering from a nasty running injury and am seriously missing fall crunchy leaf runs, I am adoring going for walks and bike rides and just gawking at the phenomenal fall colors.  Yay for sweaters, scarves, and birkenstocks!

Fall also means that we are officially into the swing of things (at least as much as we will ever be!!) at school.  No more fooling around, it is LEARNING TIME.  Not that we haven't been learning since Day 1, especially since I tend to be a no-nonsense kind of teacher and don't do a lot of fluffiness, even at the beginning of the year...I believe in more practical, beneficial ways to build the learning community...but that's another story.  Anyways, I'm not sure if it's just me, but lately I've been feeling like the pressure has already set in.  I think it comes from having so many low readers that I just look at them sometimes and think, "I'm not doing enough for you...," but at the same time another part of me is thinking, "What more can I possibly do?????"  It's tough with the older kids I think--some of these kids have just gotten further and further behind every year that by 5th grade, it's scary.  This is no one teacher's fault--it's just something that happened due to a WHOLE BUNCH of factors and circumstances.

It really feels daunting though--how can I possibly give everyone the time they need?  I swear some days I think, "Man, I hope you're taking some of this in!  Are you learning???  Please be learning."  Yes, I'm assessing my kiddos, but it's still tough, when there is SO MUCH growth to make, to notice on any given day who is making tiny gains and who is maybe not.  There are always many more things I wish I had time for.  I swear the school day is over in the blink of an eye.  It is already mid-October, and before you know it the kids will be talking about their Halloween costumes (I'm actually surprised they haven't been already!).
Where does the time go???

PS: That reminds me, any Halloween costume ideas?  A friend already suggested Hermione, my all-time favorite costume.  I reminded him I was that already last year, and two years before that, and three years before that.  Totally attempted to pull out the sweater vest and gold-and-maroon scarf again, but that would probably just be lazy. ;)