There are legends about the month of May. Dancing around the Maypole on May 1st was a popular pastime long ago. The first of May was a festival in English villages and nearly every village had a Maypole. Even the King and Queen celebrated May Day.

Historically, bonfires have been associated with May Eve and May Day in Britain. Originally dedicated to the pagan sun god Bel, or Balder, these fires were called Balder's Belfires in Ireland. Until the nineteenth century, May Day bonfires were still lit in the Scottish highlands, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Celts called this day Beltane. I would imagine you might still find those fires, in rural areas.

My mother told me that on May Day, you should put baskets of flowers at people's doors, anonymously. I have no idea where her "legend" came from, but I used to go out and pick wildflowers, make little baskets from paper, and hang them on doorknobs around the neighborhood.

May heralds the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. Children everywhere look forward to the freedom that summer brings. May brings the promise of warm days and sunshine. Whether children are in public school or homeschooled, the lure of the outdoors is stronger than any interest in academics at this time of year.

As a teacher, how do you cope with "spring fever"? If you are a homeschooler, you don't have to discourage it. You can take your lessons outdoors. Young children love nature walks and other outdoor adventures. You can practice the multiplication tables or spelling words sitting in the grass. The key is to be flexible.

If you are thinking about homeschooling next year, and are new to homeschooling, this is a good time of year to plan ahead. If you are already homeschooling, it is the time to assess what the students have learned. There are three ways a West Virginia homeschooler can fulfill the reporting requirement at the end of the year: standardized testing, portfolio review and alternative review. Since the information must be sent to the school district in June, it's time to get ready.

Enjoy the sunshine and flowers of May!