Yesterday was my second first day of teaching. In other words, it was the first day of my second year…special for a number of reasons.
First, I am finally working in the public school system that I’d been trying to get into for two years.
Second, I began working with a great group of teachers and mentors.
Third, I had three classes full of ninth grade students.
There is something precious about ninth graders. They are a wee bit scared because they’re entering larger schools full of older kids from all over town.
They need patient, loving, and firm teachers who don’t mind the glassy-eyed stares and zombie looks that accompany these kids into class.
I think I fit the bill quite nicely, thank you very much.
I had spent a couple of hours in my classroom on Sunday putting the finishing touches on my room and my lesson plans.
I took pictures of the finished product so you could see…
I’m really proud of how the doors on my back cabinet turned out. The second coat of paint made a huge difference!
The first day of school for most teachers, no matter how many years of experience, brings with it some anxiety and excitement. We want things to go smoothly, and we are naturally curious about the students who will be walking through our doors.
Such was the case with me…even more so because I would be going from having a total of 26 students last year to over 60 this year.
I needn’t have worried.
I fell in love with my students.
Each class has its collective personality, and I marveled at how different all three of my classes were.
My first period class has mostly males in it. They are a trip, let me tell you.
Planning is second…my time to prepare for the next class and try to get caught up on school email and other items on my large to-do list.
Third period consists of 25 kids, but this is the class before lunch, so everyone tends to be lethargic. I am going to combat this by allowing my students to bring food with them to class.
I know, I know. Messes in the making, eh? Well, I am letting down my hair and have implemented the consequence that if there is any trash not put away at the end of class, that class will lose the food/drink (water only) privilege for one week. Holding each other accountable should make my classes cohesive.
Lunch is next, and I ran errands to the office, stopped by the teacher’s lounge briefly, and then returned to my classroom to prepare for fourth period, which consisted of sixteen students…all but three of them female.
This is a chatty group, but once again, their personalities sucked me in.
I’ll admit that my summer of being a slug had been fun. I’d been so stressed for so long that I needed that time to recuperate.
However, my students’ return to class today reminded me of how invigorating and energizing this teaching profession is.
It is always changing. No two class periods run exactly the same because of the unpredictable human factor.
Teenagers have so much inside of them…so many emotions and emerging thoughts just waiting to burst forth on the scene, if given the opportunity.
My second first day of teaching superseded all of my expectations.
I am ready for day two.
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