Wednesday, August 13, 2008

First Days

Another successful first day of school! I am changing classrooms every period. By third period, my students were just finding me in the hall and following from one room to another. They are highly adaptable though, and will figure things out soon enough. I'm not as adaptable as them, but I'm having a good attitude and making things work. We've had issues with our data base this year, resulting in schedules being changed randomly, so no one is ever exactly sure where they are supposed to be. Each class began with a comparison of schedules and rosters to determine if everyone was indeed in the right place. Add that to the usual schedule changes that occur at the begining of a new year and quite a bit of ambiguity results. I have a new moto now, "If they come, I will teach them." Whoever shows up at the door gets a book and homework assignment. Guidance can figure out everything else. I think I'll put that job tops on the list of jobs I don't want to do right now.
I'm happy with my classes, the chemistry kids seem to be good bunch. They are still all on good behavior of course, but they seem like a nice group of kids. My forensic science kids are another story. They signed up for the class knowing that I was going to teach it, and they already know me. No first day behavior for them! I think I have fewer than 10 kids in both of the sections that I haven't had before. One lucky student is now having me for the 4th year in a row. I've told her that I live in fear of her going to college and not knowing enough science, because I am personally responsible for anything she doesn't know!
I finished up by 12 and rushed home for the kids so we could go and man the girl scout booth at their school registration. They had already been in the morning with Kurt to register and meet their teachers. Ryan and Anna are fairly aloof about second and third grade, but Sydney is so excited about kindergarten that she can hardly stand it. She was so disappointed when she found out that she wasn't staying at school all day. Especially when she found out her teacher has TOYS in her classroom. She didn't know that kindergarten would have TOYS. Trying to get her to leave was no easy task. Explaining that the first day of kindergarten isn't for an entire week was even harder. Ryan and Anna will hop on the bus on Monday, but Sydney will have to wait three extra days for her first day of school.

1 comment:

Amy said...

Oh, how exciting to read your post today! Those first-day excitement stories of the kids were a joy to read!
Also, I thought the graphic was very fitting after hearing about your "craziness" of room-switch-er-rooing.
I'll be right there with you soon enough! One more full week vacation for me; two for the kids.