Are you ready for school?
It's never too late.
Hello friend,
I loved school. The night before the first day I tossed and turned anticipating the identity of a new teacher, new books, a new classroom, and new friends. Would my best friends be in my class? I crossed my fingers.
My new book satchel slung across my shoulders. A red plaid lunch box held the usual, a bologna sandwich, sliced fruit, and if I was lucky, cookies.
We ate lunch at our desks, paper bags rippled, pungent peanut butter swirled with warm lunch meat, crisp apples, and the occasional piece of chocolate.
Nothing compared to opening a fresh page in my three-ring binder, writing my name, and beginning again. Learning brought excitement, mystery, and a dazzling trip into the unknown. What would I find? Where would I go, and who would I see in the world of books?
I don’t have a new satchel or lunch box, but as I watch the school bus pick up the children on my street, I remember. I still crave learning.
The expression, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” doesn’t hold true according to research on aging. Dr. Rachel Wu investigates learning across the human lifespan. She and other researchers have found that “learning new things as you age may be key to keeping your cognitive skills sharp—and that middle-aged and older adults may be just as good at learning as younger people.”
Learning, after all, is good for your brain and keeps you young, at least mentally.
Exploring new skills and expanding our knowledge comes in limitless forms and offers endless possibilities. As children fill their backpacks, we can also embark on a learning journey.
It’s never too late to begin.
The more we attempt, experiment, and experience … the more interesting we become, the more expansive we become, the more, “more” we become.
—Karen Walrond
What will you learn today?
I am a teacher. This is how teaching found me and created an awesome career.
Do you remember a teacher who positively affected your life? Julie Hasson shares her research on the teachers we remember.
A few musical school memories: “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, Chuck Berry’s “School Days,” and for students of all ages, learning brings a “Brand New Day” by Lyndsay Ray.
“That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.”
— Doris Lessing
“I am still learning.”
— Michelangelo (age 87)
If you would like to read more from me, visit my website. I’ll be there waiting for you.
With gratitude,
Kathryn
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I loved school too. Maybe that’s why I became a teacher! 💖 thanks for sharing x