Boys.

I've grown up with a "girl power" mindset. I've read books about empowering young ladies, and encouraging girls that they are fully capable of doing anything boys can do.. maybe better. I am the first one to argue for women's rights, and am very passionate about gender equality.

All this being said, I will be teaching third grade this year. My class is special, though. Because I have a class that is very heavy on the male side... Actually, I only have males. 

It's funny, yes. You may laugh. 

Tomorrow begins a very interesting year. At 7:20 in the morning, the new guys in my life will walk through the door of my classroom. One cannot simply prepare your brain for that. I have tried. I have read books. I have researched. I have even Pinterested. 

In my research, I found this video. For those that have time, go watch it. It will give you insight to my classroom, and how life for boys isn't as easy as I had once thought. We may thing we live in a "man's world," but the girls that I have been empowering are being favored in the public school world. This has to change. A quote in the video that has kept me up the past few nights reads, "If boys are constantly subject to disapproval for their interests and enthusiasms, they are likely to become disengaged and lag further behind." 

We forget that boys have to be boys. They need to play. They need to throw a baseball. They need to tell stories that involve blood and guts. They need to pick their nose. It's what they do. When we tell them "not now" or "that's gross," we stifle their creativity. Yes, it's not the creativity we find in glitter and ribbon. But it is still creativity. 

Like JRR Tolkien says, "All that is gold does not glitter." The lack of girls in my classroom might decrease the amount of sparkles used, but the boys will still be just as great, just as smart, just as behaved, and just as talented. Maybe a bit messier.. But I can deal.

So, my weak stomach and I are diving in headfirst into this year. 

As strange as it seems, I look forward to my boy-filled classroom. We are going to read the best boy-books I can find, completely use up the red, green, and blue markers, talk about Kevin Durant like he's our best friend, and use Legos as much as humanly possible. 

I honestly don't know what this year will bring. 

Probably a lot of smelly feet, the word "fart," and lots of action-packed stories. 

Whatever it might be... I'm excited. 

I accept the challenge.

A feminist with a class full of boys. That's me.