First Day of School

Yesterday was my 4th "first day of school" as a teacher! I cannot believe time has flown. I can hardly remember what grade my students are in from my first year. The good news is that my nervous percentage has drastically decreased. I believe I saw at year one around 100%. Year two was at a new school so it was still pretty high, hovering around 90%, but it was much easier than my first. Year three dropped to around 60-70%, and this year was down to about 10%! I had no nightmares, slept through most of the night, and was actually awake and alert 10 minutes before my alarm was to go off.

So let me get into the real adventure part of this. My feelings have changed. My first year, I was so nervous! I had nightmares about future students, my classroom would get moved, and I would show up and no one would now why I was there or who I was! I was constantly checking the time and my schedule. I worried about down time and where to put my students. I read Harry Wong about 5 times. Each year, I would be nervous, and yet the first day I would realize the kids were more nervous than me and I relaxed a little.

This year, I was not nervous. I did not even bring home lesson plans to review over the weekend. I felt more confident, and I was ready for the new year. This allowed me to look at things through a different perspective- an experienced perspective.

When I walked through the doors, I saw many children with their parents and I smiled to reassure them everything would be okay. I checked out the gym and cafeteria, made sure I finally got my copies ready, and opened my classroom doors. When the kids came in, I not only saw them as my future students, but as someone's child. These kids come to me from families who care about them, and it is my job not only to teach them, but to love them. I notice quirks about different students, and realize this may be what their parents love about them. Or maybe one student has a unique interest and I remember how much my parents allowed me to follow my dreams and pursue my interests, so I gawk in amazement of their knowledge of WOW or Angry Birds even if I have no idea what they are talking about.

When these kids leave me, I want them to leave knowing that their 6th grade math teacher loved them and cared about them. I want them to come to a classroom where they feel safe and they are not afraid to be themselves. I want them to know that I accept them for who they are, even if others do not value their traits yet. I want them to know that I believed in them and did everything I could to build their confidence. I want to know that when they look back, they can smile at the memory of 6th grade math with Ms. S.

The first day of school is now different for me. It is no longer about me, it is about my students.