Getting Ready for School

I've been outside with my dog for most of this summer, but yesterday, she snuffed out the first red leaves of autumn. It's no surprise: September is a little over a week away.

But after a wonderful summer, I'm thinking often of the moment in the "You've Got Mail" movie, when Tom Hanks writes about bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils. I have always loved new school supplies: clean, flat sheets of paper and fresh pens with their matching caps. They all say, I have my tools prepared. I will fill these pages with information and thoughts and responses to new challenges. I am ready.

There are some things to do, however, to be ready. And for my math class, this is what I would recommend:

• Plenty of pencils. A bouquet of pencils. Extra lead or a mini pencil sharpener.

• Erasers. The cap erasers are good for pencils, but a large eraser is better for a larger mistake.

• Binder with lined paper and graph paper. I suggest dividing it into four sections: homework, notes, classwork, and assessments.

• Folders to hold old worksheets and printed documents.

• Scientific calculator(s). Our favorite at school is the TI-30x.

• Assignment notebook.

The following supplies aren’t essential, but would be convenient:

• Markers or colored pencils.

• Dry erase markers/eraser.

• Ruler.

• Compass.

On the first day of school, students lay out their new tools very proudly. Their aspirations are obvious. This is going to be a better year. They are ready.

And so am I.