My first year of teaching was very interesting:
Before my first day of teaching I could not get any sleep (I still get a little excited the day before school starts.) It was so exciting, that I would finally get my own classes after working so long! I was also nervous because I did not have any class roll sheets yet. I got to the school early that morning eager to look in my box for my roll sheets. There was nothing in my box! So I asked around and the veteran teachers did not know where their roll sheets were either. Eventually, the front office did an all call. “Teachers please come to the library for a meeting, NOW!” Well it turns out that we had a first year counselor and an experienced counselor. The experienced counselor had some kind of break down and quit her job, with the schedules undone! The new counselor was lost and had been struggling to put the kids into the system and get schedules all weekend long. So what they decided to do was divide up the alphabet and have teacher what overt the kids until the schedules were finished, printed and delivered to the students.
I was a little disappointed! This was really going to interfere with my wonderful lesson plans. And what exactly to you do with a group of strange kids that are not even going to be in your class? Well the plan was to go over general school rules and the student handbook. It sounded like a good plan.
The bell rang and the kids showed up in my room about 36 or so total strangers frustrated and angry (like the teachers) at the situation we were in. I took roll and began my discussion of the handbook and school rules.
Before my first day of teaching I could not get any sleep (I still get a little excited the day before school starts.) It was so exciting, that I would finally get my own classes after working so long! I was also nervous because I did not have any class roll sheets yet. I got to the school early that morning eager to look in my box for my roll sheets. There was nothing in my box! So I asked around and the veteran teachers did not know where their roll sheets were either. Eventually, the front office did an all call. “Teachers please come to the library for a meeting, NOW!” Well it turns out that we had a first year counselor and an experienced counselor. The experienced counselor had some kind of break down and quit her job, with the schedules undone! The new counselor was lost and had been struggling to put the kids into the system and get schedules all weekend long. So what they decided to do was divide up the alphabet and have teacher what overt the kids until the schedules were finished, printed and delivered to the students.
I was a little disappointed! This was really going to interfere with my wonderful lesson plans. And what exactly to you do with a group of strange kids that are not even going to be in your class? Well the plan was to go over general school rules and the student handbook. It sounded like a good plan.
The bell rang and the kids showed up in my room about 36 or so total strangers frustrated and angry (like the teachers) at the situation we were in. I took roll and began my discussion of the handbook and school rules.
That took about 20 minutes.
Then we sat.
We sat and sat some more.
Waiting for news on our schedules.
It seemed like it took all day to get those schedules done. But it really was not as bad as it seemed, it actually only took two and a half-hours.
I learned a great deal more than I ever wanted to know about the habits, customs and nocturnal activities of the students at that school. I also learned the importance of having emergency backup plans and activities because you never know when things are going to happen to mess up your day.
Our psychology teacher became the new second counselor on our campus. She was a big help once the year got going. I talked with both of them a few summers ago at a conference. They are still there trying to keep the lid on that crazy place.
Keep smiling
It seemed like it took all day to get those schedules done. But it really was not as bad as it seemed, it actually only took two and a half-hours.
I learned a great deal more than I ever wanted to know about the habits, customs and nocturnal activities of the students at that school. I also learned the importance of having emergency backup plans and activities because you never know when things are going to happen to mess up your day.
Our psychology teacher became the new second counselor on our campus. She was a big help once the year got going. I talked with both of them a few summers ago at a conference. They are still there trying to keep the lid on that crazy place.
Keep smiling
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment