Yesterday was like my first day of school.

I presented the first in a series of eight professional development days for a local school district on the topic of reading workshop.

I was reminded of both the joy and the frustration of being with a group of teachers. I loved hearing their questions and their thoughts on instruction. I hated hearing how they don’t have a favorite author because they haven’t had personal time to read for pleasure in years. I loved how they clamored to know about my current favorite read alouds and how best to fit them into their curriculum. I hated how they told me that most of the kids in their classes were never read to at home. I loved hearing the laughter of colleagues learning new things about the women they had taught with for years, finally having a chance to sit together and chat informally getting to know each other better as I got to know them. I hated that they talked about classrooms filled to the brim with 27 and 28 elementary aged children.

Here’s to a new job full of more loves than hates…