Solo

Today people kept asking me if today was my first "solo" day, as if I've never taught before, or been in the classroom with students by myself before.

It went well, overall. I was nervous about the eighth grade classes, and I'm not entirely sure why, but Mr. Reed yesterday said something to me that had me shaking in my boots. "If by Friday they're saying, 'I like Mrs. Beaver,' then you're not doing your job." Why was this intimidating? Because I come across as a nice person. Always. And in years past, I've had students tell me at the end of the first day of schoo, "You're the nicest teacher I have!"

But, it wasn't as bad as I foresaw. I had one group that is really talkative, and SURPRISE, it's NOT an honors group. I'll have to do a little research and planning to figure out how to get them to respond most effectively.

I was complimented on their behavior in the lunchroom, both by the cafeteria staff and by the other teachers in there. "Usually that group is rowdy." I know. That's why I laid down the law for 20 minutes before we went in there. You think I'm new to this? Well, yes. They do.

The only possible tear-shedding moment happened in the lunchroom--one of the students squirted ketchup on my pants, up and down the right leg. The lunchroom staff helped me out by giving me a rag to clean it up with, and I tried to talk myself down from this emotional frenzy while I was out of the students' sight. What happened was a mean thing to do, and I don't like to think that anyone is capable of behaving in such a way. I decided I'm just emotional and hormonal and that they're just pants (albeit my favorite pair).

At the end of the day today, as I was leaving the building, Mr. Reed said to me, "She don't play. Mrs. Beaver don't play. That's what I've been hearing. Good job." Sheesh! That was a lot of work!