I think it's crazy how early we go back to school nowadays. Teachers started back Aug. 4, and kids came on the 11th. It's clearly still summer - it's supposed to be "summer vacation." But it's just not that any longer.
One of my colleagues pointed out last week how annoyed she gets when people ask, "When do you go back to school?" and she replies, "We're back - we started this week" and then they say, "Yeah, but when do KIDS start?" Like we're not really "back in school" until they are kids present. You see, no - school starts the day we have to start waking before daylight again - the week that every day we will be in meetings from 7:15 til 3, and then stay til 6 or 7 getting our crap together for the ever-fast-approaching day when kids actually DO show up. And then we go in on the weekend for 6 hours at least one of the days to really feel ready (I went in Sunday.)
But it's WORTH IT. Because my classroom is BEAUTIFUL and my lesson plans are SEMI-COHERENT. Meeting students for the first time - I always forget - is so anticlimactic, because they are not going to be very fun at first. They're scared to be in high school where everyone else looks 25 already (I teach freshmen), and they are scared shitless that I am going to be as scary and demanding as their middle school teachers warned them I would be (hell, I was a middle school teacher - I KNOW what they tell them), but perhaps most of all, they are scared of EACH OTHER and what everybody is thinking about them and how they look and if they'll sound stupid if they actually RESPOND to something the teacher (me) says.
So I'm over my disappointment, and going in to school for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon (Sunday) just to feel a little more ready for week 2 with kids, and I'm feeling thankful that I have a job that I really like in a pretty great school with some fun people to work with.
Monday is my birthday, and I found out Friday that not one, but TWO boys in my 3rd period share my birthday, so yes, we are having a party. Pre-test be damned. We will eat cake. Or donuts and bagels. Or chips and salsa. Whatever they decide to bring for 9:30 in the morning. It will be good. I'm bringing the plates.
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3 comments:
Happy Birthday!!! I'm so glad to see you blogging again! ;)
It's about damn time! I want to know all about Monday!!!!!!! I am not car pooling tomorrow, so I will try and call. Love to you always.
I don't always love my birthday anymore. But I tell you what -- There is not enough money in the world to pay me to go back to being a teenager! Those kids are lucky to have you for a teacher. For at least 50 minutes every school day, they know they are special people. Blessings on this year for you. xo
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