Skittles has come up with a new meme for Tuesdays...Heads or Tails. I think it is a great idea so I decided to play along. She picks themes for each week--this week's happens to be "beginnings." Fitting, really, considering today was my first day back to work with kids...
Although I was up at five this morning, dressed in nice clothes and spent all day talking to 150 kids, the today's first day of school didn't really count for me. Why? Because the real kids don't show up until the second day of school...which then becomes the first day all over again.
Confused? Let me explain:
I teach freshmen. Usually on the first day of school they are shy, scared, don't know what to expect and are generally really good. They laugh politely at my lame jokes, they are quiet when I ask them to be, and they are very cooperative. They get through the first day calmly, quietly, and serenely--lulling everyone into a false sense of security....
...Until the second day of school...
...because on the second day of school, the real kids get there. They are no longer quiet, calm and serene. They loud, obnoxious, and ready to go. They are also rebellious because it has suddenly hit them that they are really back to school for nine months. It's not just one day--its 177 long days of six classes and they don't like it one bit.
So, really, we have two first days of school--two beginnings, if you will.
Day one: the "fake" kids. This is the day I go over a load of info, talk forever and welcome them warmly to school.
Day two: the "real" kids. This is the day I give them loads to do, keep them quiet, and teach them my "my way or the highway" philosophy.
All I have to say is bring it on, "real" kids. I'm ready to take you all one in our second first day of school.
And I will win, by God...I will win.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Heads or Tails Tuesday
Rambled by Shan at 5:06 PM
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12 rambled with me...:
I'm so relieved you survived the "first" first day! You know it's funny.. but I can remember school being just like that! Of course I was never bad. (Cough cough.)
Wait until the HUGE groan the first time you assign homework. Fun times.. LOL!
How big are your class sizes?
I have already anticipated the groan--hence my "all homework is doubled if you whine" rule :-)
Class sizes are huge right now--my smallest class is 28, but all the others are over 30.
aww kids - got it..
unfortunately they're mine. well not unfortunately really - but they are mine - I understand this of which you speak 'cause I have two teenagers.
I love my new students each year. I have new 6th graders that go through this with the new school jitters. LOL.... The rest of them think it is old hat...oh of course the kindergardener's. They are usually to scared to say anything first day.
Ha ha! Fake kids and real kids....so true!
At our middle school, the 6th graders actually go to school for an orientation the day before school. They learn where everything is,the rules and how to work their lockers. I think that it's pretty cool how they do that. I wonder if they are fake or real on the actual first day?
aj: we do the same thing with freshmen, and we still see the fake and the real kids :-)
and welcome, shelby and jennifer!
jennifer: I also love my new kids each year, but it is so hard getting them used to how we do things in high school.
This is the first year we have started this early (we usually start middle of next week)--they say it is to get more instruction in before state testing...I say do testing later and we'll all be happy.
But do they listen? Noooooooo.
I hate to admit that as a student I used my first day to impress all teachers, knowing that all others are yet to get into groove, appears so silly now, but it worked almost everytime :)
I think we are all guilty of that...I know that you want to put your best foot forward on that first day.
I think teachers still do it a little. I know that I tend to dress a little nicer in the first week of school than I will all year long. DOn't get me wrong, I always dress well, but there is something about that first week.
What fascinating concepts! I never really thought about the "real" and "fake" kids that we work with. As a rabbi, I usually wind up with the "fake" kids, though I try my best to joke around with them, get to know them, and help them have a meaningful encounter with me.
Marci--I think that is what you need to do given your position. You need kids to feel connected with you and warm up to you because you can make a bigger impact that way.
When I first started teaching no one ever told me about the two kinds of kids I would see...imagine me, a first year teacher...I come in on the first day and all the kids are quiet and happy to be there. I go home thinking everything is going to be great and then the second day happens...it was traumatic!
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