Reflections on a new school year!

For most of my life, the new school year has been a second chance at a new year. For all of us who are students or teachers or parents of students, the new school year is a new beginning.

  Culturally this can feel differently as fall can give us different sensations according to weather. Children in Yuma are still experiencing plenty of heat and, hence, new clothes can present an issue. The new fall fashions can present long sleeves and warmer materials when we are still baking at over 100 degrees. As a native of England, I was used to the proverbial "nip" in the air as we returned to school and, consequently, warmer wear was appropriate. English schools also have used uniforms for as long as I can remember. This brings me to reflections of Yuma and uniforms. I see that Crane district and Yuma High are both using a strict dress code akin to a uniform. As someone who has been both a student (from the age of 4 to age 18) wearing a uniform to being a parent of my own two children wearing uniforms, I can see both sides of any debate on the subject.

  Overall I am a supporter of uniforms. As a small child, I was very happy to go with my mum and pick out everything. We wore jumpers in green, with shirts and ties plus, of course, a sweater in brown. Even our rainwear was in the school color, and in the fifties, we also wore hats. These had to be worn at all times when we were out in public. There were no arguments about what to wear. We had uniforms for school, play clothes and best clothes. As a young child, I never remember questioning clothing. In public, people knew by the colors you were wearing which school you attended. There was a sense of belonging associated with this and ultimately a sense of pride in belonging. I see a similar sense of this in military uniforms and I don’t think it is bad to instill a sense of pride in young children.

  I will say that growing into my teenage years I did become somewhat resentful about wearing uniforms. It was the era of the mini skirt and we girls found ingenious ways to wear our skirts as high as we could without being pulled in by teachers for indecency! You will probably realize that life has not changed, teenagers continue to "push the envelope." Some of us found other ways to embellish our uniforms and express our individuality. This last point would seem to be where I see uniforms as somewhat stifling. However, I do think there are more pluses than minuses. Uniforms level the playing field. Wearing designer this or that becomes a nonissue. As a parent, a uniform is a lot easier and cheaper than no uniform. My own children were at school in the later 70s and just like me as a child, they had two sets of uniform for the regular week, plus a few sets of play clothes and best clothes. As a parent, it is a cheaper option to have uniforms. It also prevents fights and arguments about what children should wear to school. We moved to the U.S. when the children were 10 and 12 years old and life was a lot more complicated and more expensive when they could choose what they wore!

  Having reflected on uniforms, I return to the excitement of returning to school. For all students, there is the apprehension about new teachers or even a new school. For teachers, there is the same apprehension about having new students. For parents, especially the ones who have children either starting school or changing to the next stage, that is middle and high school, there are also mixed emotions. Two of my grandsons start kindergarten this year and we have been shopping for backpacks and supplies. However, for my son and daughter, there is some heartache in the knowledge that the children are growing up and moving away from infancy. As a former kindergarten teacher, I can attest to seeing more of the parents shedding tears outside the classroom than the children themselves!

  My close colleague here at the college has a daughter entering high school and I know this step, although exciting, can cause apprehension and mixed emotions.

  Summer is a wonderful time and I’m sure many of you have had some fun, be it at home or away. However, I think most of us would agree that we are ready to get back into routine and face the new school year whatever it may bring.

  I know some schools are back already and by the time this article is out, the busses will have rolled for District 1 and students will be back on campus here at Arizona Western College. So, happy new school year to everyone!

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Judy Watkinson, director of Early Childhood Programs at Arizona Western College, can be reached at 344-7790 or at judy.watkinson@azwestern.edu.