First day of school

Jonathan started middle school. Can you believe it? Middle school. He catches the school bus near our apartment, and it takes him to the middle school, where he wanders the halls with other seventh graders (and eighth graders, and even sixth graders here), switching classes and teachers and subjects just like middle schoolers do.

I forgot to take the photo of the boy in front of the school bus the first day. But I did take a first-day-of-school photo. This one.

That is Jonathan with his middle school homework, after school, looking maybe a little overwhelmed. Or maybe that's just Jonathan thinking, "Mom, seriously, what are you doing with the camera?" and I am projecting my own feelings onto the photo. In any case, he had reason to be overwhelmed the first day. It was his first time in a school where he didn't stick with the same classmates the whole day. It was his first time switching rooms every hour. And of course, his first time in the new building with all new people. And on top of that, his locker was jammed. And the "buddy" who was supposed to be assigned to help him find his classes never showed up.

So Super-Jonathan, abandoned and alone in a new school he knew nothing about, took matters into his own hands, and asked random people where his classes were, and used the English room as his locker (with the teacher's permission), and recognized someone from another class and asked to sit with him at lunch. And spoke with the French teacher long enough to get switched into the advanced French class immediately. And found the school bus home. And got off at the right stop. And walked back to our apartment and let himself in, where Tim was eagerly awaiting him. And then he sat at the table doing homework until it was finished.

I am proud of Jonathan. It's hard to move. It's harder still to move and then to start middle school for the first time ever. But after a couple of weeks, he is totally pro. 

And my favorite report on the school day? Jonathan told us that his English teacher reminds him of his aunt Emily. And we reminded him that his aunt Emily is also a middle school English teacher. And his eyes opened a little wider. "Really? That's so cool!"