Ready to Collapse: A Day in the Life of a Teacher....

Published on September 7, 2005 By alison watkins In Misc

Today was my first official day of school. I have a total of 300 kids. I have no idea where to even begin....I spent the whole day passing out class guidelines, assigning seats, and handing out index cards to help me remember who is who. Most of the kids seem very eager to be back at school. My sixth and eighth graders were nothing short of perfect today. On the other hand, my seventh graders were snot nosed whiney babies. They even made fun of the way I talk. Ahh!! I guess you just can't win them all.

My general music room is in major need of an overhaul. It's completely barren. I am going to have to stop at a school supply store and figure out a way to make it a fun place to learn. It needs to sparkle and stand out. Right now it looks rather drab.

My choir and band classes are held in the school gym. I am dreading the reverb from off of the walls. There isn't a chalk board or overhead in there, so I have no idea how I'm going to post anything.

All of the other teachers have been very understanding and helpful. They can't believe I was only hired on Thursday!

Oh well, that was my first day of school

Time to go back and continue to figure out my concert program for 6th grade choir. (A special thanks to Chrissy Archer who is going to tape my accompianiments for my rehearsals--you are awesome!)

Comments

dharmagrl

on Sep 07, 2005

Alison honey, as the parent of a 7th grader I feel like i need to give you some advice about them. They're pack animals. They're all brave when they're together, so try to never confront them in a group.....it's only when they're alone that they lose the pack mentality and you'll be able to have any kind of meaningful or honest communication with them.

I'm not at all surprised that you did better with the younger grades than you did the 7th; kids that young haven't been subjected to huge doses of hormones.

I'm so glad that you're working and happy!

ParaTed2k

on Sep 07, 2005

Thrown in without a lesson plan or a sylabus... That's exactly why the first year is the hardest. Just don't expect them to be as excited to learn as you are to teach, but always try to let them know how much you want to be there (whether you do or not)... Also, establish whose in charge from day one... you can lighten up once youre comfortable they understand, but remember whatever standard of leadership you set for them now, it only diminishes as the year progresses, so make sure they have a long way to slip before they hit "unacceptable".

Your going to have a great time!! Dive in, the water's fine!! ;~D

InBloom

on Sep 07, 2005

~Today was my first official day of school. I have a total of 300 kids. I have no idea where to even begin....I spent the whole day passing out class guidelines, assigning seats, and handing out index cards to help me remember who is who.~

Congratulations for surviving the first day! By the end of the year, those kids are going to be part of an awesome choir...afterall, they have an enthusiastic, dedicated teacher.

alison watkins

on Sep 07, 2005

Dharma:
Hehe...yes the pack of swirling hormones! ahh!! Thanks for the advice. I will use it as my secret weapon

Parated2k:
Some more great advice! thank you! are you a teacher? I have the worst time with class control, and I think it is because I'm a little person--I'm seriously as big as some of the kids. Do you have any more advice?

InBloom:
Haha! Thanks! You are so sweet. Throughout the year will have to trade stories!

dharmagrl

on Sep 07, 2005

I will use it as my secret weapon

Shhh...you didn't hear it from me. I got some 'cool mom' cred going on around here and I don't want anyone to think I dimed them out.

ParaTed2k

on Sep 07, 2005

Some more great advice! thank you! are you a teacher? I have the worst time with class control, and I think it is because I'm a little person--I'm seriously as big as some of the kids. Do you have any more advice?

Not a school teacher, but I've taught everything from cub scouts to Army Medics. I've even helped teach emergency medical prodecures to a few classes of med students in Atlanta. Also my wife is a Secondary Ed (for math) major and much of what I learned about teaching was confirmed by some of her classes.

The key to discipline in the classroom is let them know the standard you expect right from the beginning... they are going to push it, not because they are bad (although some are) but because that is what kids do. Dharma said it best, they are merely challenging you for "leader of the pack". Let them know that no matter what they think of themselves, it is your classroom, and nothing happens without your consent (either spoken or implied). That won't guarentee that they will all fall in line, but it will get most of them respecting you and peer pressure can be a good thing, so don't be afraid to use it when appropriate.

There are few things greater than watching people go from not knowing much (if anything) about a topic to so well versed in it, they are bored with the level of the class. Of course, just as they are really catching it well, you have to say "have a great summer"... just to start it all again after your great one. ;~D

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