We had two days of staff meetings before my first day with students. The "Professional Development Days" as they were called, went by quickly. I spent the time getting to know the staff and learning about numerous school procedures. Mr. Charbonnet continued to be charismatic and the staff responded well to their new leader who dressed in snappy suits accented by colorful Save the Children ties which depicted children's artwork.I got about two hours to set up my classroom which consisted of a pile of old desks and broken chairs. Later I learned that all of the good furniture had already been claimed by the veteran teachers and that new teachers got the old stuff and the problem children.
My assignment was fifth grade and the first day with my 33 students was a blur. There was a lot going on that day and frankly, my students ate me alive. I don't remember much and I am grateful for the small mercy of forgetting. Thinking back, I've realized that it's not just what you remember that's important, but also what you don't remember.
On the first day of school, one of my students got up from his seat and stood by the window. We were on the second floor and I asked him what he was doing. He shouted back that he was opening the window so that he could jump out of it and sue me. I wouldn't have taken him seriously except that he started to dangle one of his legs out of the window. This led to me pulling him back in, pandemonium breaking out in the classroom, and Mrs. Prentiss coming into the room.
When Mrs. Prentiss came in, the class went silent and the student who had tried to jump out the window began to cry.
If you are a teacher, what was your first day like?
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Wow. That's a new way to say "Hi, teacher."
ReplyDeleteWell... You need to see the movies "The Belles of Saint Trinians," or "Blue Murder at Saint trinians." Old British comedy movie where they did... eat the teachers. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendations. I love a good campy flick. I'll see if I can find them on dvd.
ReplyDeleteTry You-Tube...for shorts
ReplyDelete@Crystal Mary. I checked out a theme song video which was funny in a dark humor sort of way. The shorts have been removed by YouTube. Must have been REALLY good :)
ReplyDeleteFirst day was a blur! I think I followed my plans, but everything took longer than expected. Lucky to have a supportive principal that brought me with her to the school, like you. Taught there eight years, left to teach at my kids' school, and now, fourteen years in, serendipitously back as principal at my first school, with the friends and school family that taught me to teach. I am fortunate beyond belief, despite the pressures of raising scores and keeping up morale at a Title I school - wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Would you?
ReplyDelete@mommapolitico Welcome! Such a great story that you have come full circle back home to the school where you began your career! I have great respect for your leadership role and the challenges that you bravely face for the sake of the kids.
ReplyDeleteWow! My only teaching experience is running chess clubs, thankfully on the ground floor, and always with the backup, and threat, of a "real" teacher somewhere vaguely nearby.
ReplyDelete@Sheila There are going to be a couple of posts about chess clubs in the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteFifth graders are tough! They ate me alive my first day too! But I just took it all in stride. Fortunately, I didn't have any of them threaten to jump out the window. But they did make it clear to me that they were proudly responsible for the last teacher's disappearance from the school. I felt like Michelle Pfeiffer in "Dangerous Minds." Haha!
ReplyDeleteMy first day as a substitute teacher was a nightmare. I'd been working as a preschool assistant teacher during my 4 years at college so I thought first graders would be a breeze. The children came in, and, I smiled brightly at them as they put their things away. No sooner had I introduced myself, they were dumping their desks over, tampering with the teacher's desk and homework that was laid out, one student threatened to hit another child with a metal ruler... the school security came in and set them straight but, I won't lie, I burst into tears as soon as they all left for lunch. I'm surprised I continued to sub after that!
ReplyDelete@Kate Wow! That sounds like quite a day and a metal ruler no less. Glad you survived and continued to teach.
ReplyDeleteMy first day teaching a 7th grade boys class, one of them walked in kicked his shoe up to the ceiling, making it come falling down. He then proceeded to tell me he knows how to fix it and starting moving desks to stand up on. While this was happening the class was going wild trying to help move desks etc. Cant really remember the rest but I yelled a whole bunch that day!
ReplyDeleteI've usually taught college, not kids. But there was one period where circumstances of a cross country move mid semester left me jobless for a while so I covered my costs by doing some substitute teaching. I did kindergarten, first, third, fifth and eighth grades. I liked the little ones except that I miscalculated how much time was required to get 27 five year olds in and out of their snow pants at recess. (This was in Michigan.) I blew reading time completely with all those buckles and belts.
ReplyDelete@velvet sea That's quite a first day!!!!
ReplyDelete@Belladonna The image of 27 five year olds in snow clothes made me smile.