The First Week of School

Well, technically for me it is the second week of school because teachers get to go back a whole week earlier than the kids. But the first week with kids is a first in itself and it's never boring.

I have really good kids this year, which is great because I also had really good kids last year and I was hoping it wasn't just a fluke. The grades I teach are mostly 6-8th, but I do have 2 9-12th grade classes as well.

We've already had 3 fights and I had to take a kid's electronic device away. But really, I have good kids. There isn't near the attitude problem I've seen other years and almost everybody follows the little rules like "come prepared" and "when I say clean up time, I mean it" that help make the classroom run smoothly.

I also already have my first funny teaching story of the year. Since most of my classes in the afternoon are for the same grade, there are a few kids I have from lunch until it's time to go home. This is rare in secondary schools but not all that rare for a district as small as ours is. Anyway, one of those kids that I have all afternoon is a 7th grade Asian boy. He is pretty cool, and I can already tell he will make my year interesting.

Well, he comes into my room right after lunch and holds his hand in a fist over my desk. I just stare at it for a while, wondering what he wants me to do with it. Does he want a fist bump? I mean, come on, say something. But I am SO glad I didn't put my hand under his because I guess he just got tired of waiting because BOOM, he opens his hand and a live cricket falls onto my desk.

I squeal like a girl and the whole room laughs at me. I begin to yell at the boy, "Get that cricket out of here right now. Outside! Out!" I'm not really mad, even though I really don't like insects. (If he'd put it in my hand, it'd be a different story). So I'm laughing a little along with the class.

"But he's my friend!" the boy cries. "You don't like my friend?"

"No I do NOT like your friend!" I say back. "He cannot come into my classroom!"

"What if you and my friend were the last two people on Earth?" he asks.

"We'd be living on opposite sides of the Earth, then," I reply.

After that, class went on as normal, but when the bell rang, the boy left the room. I stay at my desk but when I see him walking back in with something in his hand, I say to him, "If you bring another cricket into this classroom, you'll go straight to the office." At which point he makes a 180 and walks back outside.

Because while I wasn't really angry, I also don't need that kind of thing to become a habit. ;)

Other than that, this week was pretty normal. It's been very busy and exhausting trying to get back into the swing of things but I love my purpose and I love ministering to my students, so let's run!

Oh, and for all of you who might be thinking of teaching or new to teaching, some tips for the first week of school:

1) You will want to go to bed before the sun goes down. Let yourself. Every night you can. Summer hours no longer apply.
2) Throat lozenges or some equivalent should be in stock for the hoarse and somewhat painful throat after you talk for 6 hours on the first day explaining all the rules to each class.
3) There is only one chance to make a first impression. Have a positive attitude on the first day. Be excited and the kids will spark off of your excitement. :)
4) Remember, even when things go wrong, the kids will forgive you. (Forgive them, too.)
5) You have purpose and it's only just beginning. There are 175 more days for you to make a difference. Let every one of them count!

Teaching is so legit.