Monday, August 09, 2004
The first day of school is so scary. But it isn't even the kids that scare me. They scare me later. The first day of school I hold all of this anxiety about the schedule and feeling like lunch is going to pass and I will have forgotten to take my kids. Or thinking that I am going to be done with my lesson and realize that I have another hour to go.

But I survived. And I stayed (pretty much) on schedule. I did forget to pass some things out, but then learned that the world doesn't explode when that happens.

The second year is soooooo much better than the first. So any new teachers out there-- hold on. I am just so much calmer this year. When a student started break dancing in the middle of learning about rules and procedures, it didn't come as a shock. I just sort of sighed and and stared at him for a moment and then very calmly asked, "Are you having some kind of attack? Do you need me to call for help?" Everyone laughed, including him, and he sat down. I think last year I would have frantically looked at my consequence ladder and tried to remember where he was at on it and freaked out.

I also have one of those students who is LOUD. She is as loud as she can be and is trying to be intimidating. She is bugging me, but today I mostly let it go except for an occasional nod in her direction while whispering very mysteriously, "Okay. Okay. I'm gettin' it. I'm gettin' it." At one point she said, "What that mean?" and I replied, "Oh, you'll see. Yep. You sure will."
I think I freaked her out-- which was the point. When I talked to a veteran teacher about this student, she advised, "Just step on her neck right away. Step on her neck." Just a figure of speech (i think), but I thought it was funny.

I am now exhausted. And I am going to make seating charts, go to the gym, have dinner, lie in the bath, and sleep hard. I like being a teacher today.
¶ 2:47 PM