It has been a long time since my last blog, and don't get too hopeful for regular blogging from this very tired teacher. However, periodically, it will happen. Tonight is one of those nights. For a little while, anyway.
In hope to save time and precious mental energy, a list is in order. A list of all the wonderful (and annoying) lessons I am learning at the moment as a first week teacher.
1. I can never get too much sleep. Seriously, I was in bed by 9:00 on Friday night. Pathetic. I can't wait until my body is used to waking up at 5:00 every morning...
2. Planning for three different classes is hard. I don't know how rural teachers plan for six or seven different preps.
3. Do not try and get juniors to talk about The American Dream for three class periods, even if the activities are varied and you pull in a MLKJ speech. They will want to throw rocks at you.
4. Teachers spend so much time doing silly little tasks, like seating charts and bathroom sign out sheets. Seriously, it's obnoxious.
5. Getting high school students to bring a free reading book to class every day is like getting those same high school students to...well, do just about anything. Stop talking, for instance. Or write for an entire free write prompt.
6. Do not tick off the librarians. So far, I don't think I have. They have so much power, and they know it.
7. Do not let veteran teachers complain to you. Seriously, if they start complaining about a student the first day of class, politely get out of ear shot. Too much negativity is not good for you.
8. There are far too many options for benefits when the benefited is 23 and has no idea what kind of health or dental or vision or retirement plan she should have...
9. My To Do lists never go away. They just get rewritten on a new page with lots of new things added to it.
10. Students (especially Junior boys) have already figured out how easily I am to get off topic. And flustered. And giggly.
11. When the same group of Junior boys makes a comment about the fact you appear to be single, walk away before they extend an invitation to go to lunch with them. Because then maybe you'll avoid the other conversations that go along with it, like whether you think he's handsome or not.
12. If there was a teacher last year that was brand new and left for whatever reason, you will automatically be told about her, and be given a warning by the students that you'll probably be next.
13. You will always have more questions than answers. Even when you're the teacher and are supposed to have all the answers to their questions.
14. In order for any assignment to be taken seriously, no matter how small, there must be points tied to it. If you tell them they won't be handing it in, they will not do it.
15. If a student comes to you on the first day of school and asks if you want to be the journalism adviser, you should probably tell her no right away. Because it gets harder and harder every day you avoid it. And you can only tell her "keep me posted" for so long...
16. The best excuse for an issue students have with something concerning the school: "It's part of the new locked campus policy." Seriously, they love it when you pull that one out, especially when the complaint has nothing to do with the fact the doors are all locked for the duration of the school day.
17. Always do all your prep work with the same edition of the book your students will be reading. Because if you don't, you'll be really excited to have them read the preface and forward of a book only to find that their book doesn't have it. It's a bummer.
18. Get internet set up in your new apartment the very first day you move in. Because after a week and a half, your budget has taken quite the beating after having to buy coffee every time you need to plan lessons.
19. Somewhere on this list, I switched from first to second person. Normally, I would fix it. But I'm too tired, so I'm adknowledging the fact I suck tonight and moving on.
20. I am really, really loving being back in a regular classroom. It's been quite the adventure, and I'm only four days in.
Until next time.
