The Week That Was

It is not the first week of school that drags on and on, it's the last week. It feels like I just looked up at the clock in my room on Monday morning and it was eight thirty. Wait a second, there still aren't any clocks in our rooms. You know what I mean. The week is already over, and the magical number has dipped from one hundred eighty to one hundred seventy-five. That's the number of instructional days on our calendar.
I tell my kids we have one hundred and eighty days to learn everything they need to know about fourth grade, so we can't waste any time. This week they all seemed to believe me. Right now there is some romance, some mystery in the air. Does Mister Caven really give homework every night? Yes, he does. Does Mister Caven really charge two dollars for a drink of water in his room? Actually, the price went up in the first week to three (classroom) dollars when the demand went through the roof - going to the bathroom during class time remains a relative bargain at two dollars. Does Mister Caven really think he's funny? Yes, and by the time you learn everything you're supposed to know in fourth grade, you'll think he's a hoot, too.
It's just a week, and I know there are a lot more in my future, but this one didn't raise a welt on me or any of my students, so I remain cautiously optimistic. Maybe it has something to do with the convergence of my life here in my tenth year of teaching. I now live with fourth grader, so his lifespan mirrors my tenure. I have told my son that after this year I will no longer be qualified to help him with his homework, as I specialize specifically in the curriculum of the fourth grade. Next year he's on his own. For now we pause, briefly, and reflect on our first week successes. Next week we'll see about getting a clock for the wall. Fourth graders need to know how many minutes there are until recess.