Body Snatched.

Is it wrong that I like a brand new pencil?

Or a new packet of Bic Flair Pens....not just the black, red and blue pen pack but the Big Honkin' Colors Galore Pack? Like Deeeeees:

New folders? Crisp, undamaged.

Clean whiteboards, no crud on the classroom floor.....it all reeks of huge potential. A brand new year, a brand new start, quite possibly the best school year ever. Or so I sometimes tell myself in the high school girl voice a la Valley Girl speak.

Reality is delayed a bit even once school starts. I have one and a half, maybe two weeks in a good year, where my "real" students have not arrived yet. I have what I have termed as my "Body Snatched" students.

They brim with potential, they ooze positive attitude, they have also convinced themselves that this is going to be a new year, a new start, this is the year that they will do well in school. And for most of them, they do just fine. Then the "Body Snatched" students start to disappear and are replaced by the real students when the first test or project is due. Then, old habits of staying up late IMing friends or watching TV until 2 am or going and hanging out with friends instead of doing homework, whatever the reason.......the truth finally comes to light.

Every year it happens, and every year I wish it wouldn't. But, that would be living in a bubble and not in reality. I am already accused enough of not living in reality much of the time.

I will continue to try and help the Body Snatched stick around a little longer. That is my mission this year. I'll keep you posted.

Countdown to first day of school: 6 days and counting.