My first full week can be summed up in one word - respect (or the lack of it). Where has the respect gone. My classroom rules are three: Respect yourself; Respect others; Respect the school. But, so may children don't know what that word means. In my room I have one such student. He and I are going to be miserable all year long if something doesn't change. He needs to learn "R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me" (thanks Aretha) and I've got to start enjoying his presence. How is this going to happen? When is this going to happen? Who knows! Stay tuned. I'm sure I'll be blogging lots. I can't keep this all boiled up inside. As Junie B. Jones says, "My brains will squish out." Thank goodness for this blog.

P.S. My Kindergarten teacher friend is expelling three students next week. THEY ARE IN KINDERGARTEN!!! What is happening?

The First Day

So, no matter how long I stayed awake and tried to avoid it, the first day arrived. Despite my nerves and jitters, I tried to look smart, and authoritative, and MEAN. I even tried to convince the students that I was the "meanest teacher in the school." They just laughed at me. We handled the first day pretty well. Only two students fell asleep. One student fell asleep while putting his head down during recess for failure to follow the rules. (It was the first day, for heaven's sake, and he was in for his 2nd recess of the day.) When the students came back in we just let him sleep - it was MUCH quieter then and I was actually able to get a word in.

No one could have anticipated the chaos that occurred after school. I'm still trying to figure out why 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders can't remember what bus they rode on all last year, who their bus driver was/is, or their address (a landmark would be helpful). They have lived at the same location for years. Why can't they remember? Once we got all the older students on the bus then the real chaos began. All the Kindergartners, who have NEVER ridden a bus, and the 1st graders arrive from their temporary school on the bus. They hop off those buses at our school and then had to find a new bus that will take them to the junior high where they will hop off this middle bus only to find the final bus that will deliver them, hopefully, to their homes. You've got to be kidding me! A 5 year old cannot find one bus, let alone 3 buses. That situation must be remedied SOON!!!!

The first day is always crazy. I'm waiting for tomorrow and counting on it being better.

A New Beginning

So, where did Summer go? It seems we just got out but tomorrow, for some reason, we are starting again. Today I spent hours staring at a blank lesson plan book and wondering what I was going to fill it with. I can't seem to remember what to do on the first day. What do I teach? What do the little whipper snappers look like? Are my tables too high? Are the chairs too big? Should I have gone with desks instead of tables? Can they reach the top cubby? How do I make the rules of my classroom, of which there are only three, sound exciting and pleasing? Are they going to cry? Will it feel like the nursery at church when they are all crying and wanting their moms? Do 2nd graders cry? Why can't I remember the answer to all these questions.

I guess it comes down to this: I'm just as nervous for the first day of school as the students. I found a great book called First Day Jitters that talks about a person's first day at school and how she doesn't want to get out of bed, or get dress, or eat breakfast, or brush her teeth, or hurry to the car. At the end of the book the reader discovers that the story has been about the teacher. I feel that way this year. I'll share that with them. Whew! 10 minutes down. 390 minutes to fill. I'm in big trouble. Wish me luck!