The First Weak

I can write this post on the condition that you all can wait on pictures of my adorable classroom. They will come, but for now I can only muster the energy to write a few paragraphs, much less upload and describe pictures.

The fact that I'm exhausted will not come as a shock to anybody-- including me. I practically scheduled into my planner a few "cry sessions" this week that (fortunately) haven't happened. Long hours? Sure. Overwhelmed? Absolutely. But to the point of tears? Not yet.

The first day was the whirlwind I expected it to be. It had to be the best day not to get a prep period (aka when my kids go to music and I get to sit down) for that's exactly what happened: no prep. So no break or chance to catch my breath and regroup. I spent the day explaining procedures, rules, and expectations. Then I spent the next two days letting them know I was serious about those procedures, rules, and expectations. You see, kids test you in very mature ways. As soon as you explain a rule, they like to test you to see if you were just saying they had to be silent in the hallways or if you really meant it. So when they talk in the hallway, I show them I really mean it.

The first day I gave them a personal information sheet to fill out. It included things like favorite candy, favorite tv show, favorite book and why. It also asked some more meaningful ones like who they live with. I included my personal favorites to ask students:

I like when teachers ________________

I do not like when teachers ___________________

One thing I want Ms. Foster to know about me is ______________________

This makes for some interesting responses, as you can imagine. Most were honest and very telling of their lives. They certainly let me in a little and it was great to read them. But an overwhelming amount of students said they do not like when teachers (a) yell (b) punish everyone for something one person did. 

Yea. I'm serious a ton of them put that. Clearly those two have been a problem in the past. I don't really understand why teachers do (b) because it just makes the whole class loathe that one person. Extremely unfair and highly unproductive to teaching students any values. On that note, I'll be sure to never do that and to almost never yell. I say almost never because I'm sure there will be a time when they need to know I am super serious. 

I read a book in a class last year and I re-read it on the recommendation from a former first-year teacher that is called Setting Limits in the Classroom. It's about the way you speak to students and how often teachers are not clear or consistent in their management and it leads to headaches and meltdowns. I walk down the hall and hear teachers ask the dumbest rhetorical questions meant to reprimand their students. "HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH ALL THIS NOISE IN THE HALLWAY??? HUH??? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT???" Or "HEY YOU! DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THE BATHROOM?! MY KINDERGARTENERS ARE QUICKER THAN YOU!" Uhhhh you're asking for smart responses and you were never clear in what your expectation was for them. So they'll do the same thing again. Have fun with that, "experienced" teacher.

Anyway. A short list of things I find myself doing that are a little too reminiscent of the stereotypical teacher:

Drinking my 2 hour old lukewarm coffee and it not bothering me.

Searching for "that one paper from the office" under a mountain on my desk

Clipping a pen to the lanyard around my neck

Inducing comatose when my students leave me and I take a breath

Marker all over my hands 

Pen marks all over my pants (I have no idea how)

Ways I am not like the stereotypical teacher:
In the mornings I play Miles Davis and John Coltrane while they start vocab practice. I'll switch music genres throughout the year.

My voices when I read aloud our novel for 20 minutes a day are dramatic and out-of-this-world funny. 

I dress super-cool and professional

My walls are decorated NOT with cheesy teacher posters but with wall decals and COLOR!

I ask questions like "how are you today" and "have you made friends in the class yet" because I am genuinely concerned

I laugh at myself

I am really afraid of my students being bored so I plan my curriculum around that

And now it's bedtime for the frazzled first year teacher. LET'S HEAR IT FOR PAY DAY AND CASUAL FRIDAY! WOOP WOOP!!