MY FIRST DAY AS A TEACHER--TCHS, MISSION, SD, USA, NORTH AMERICA, EARTH, WHATEVER SOLAR SYSTEM, MILKY WAY, UNIVERSE, GOD...

Today was my first day as a teacher (with a contract, and therefore a real teacher). First hour went well. The kids listened to me talk about myself even when i could tell somethimes they would rather not have been listening. thrid block they were not so generous. i think the difference might be that i shook the hands of my first block students at the door and learned their names. third block they just kinda wantdered in and i stumbled over names all period. i need to be ready and at the door. get to know you surveys are a great idea, but freshman will not interact with each other bc they are to insecure in their new setting to be brave enough to form new social bonds under pressure from the teacher. i think the best thing to do is to put them to work right away. or force them to interact as a whole class. they need structure. lunch went by so quickly. the whole day went by quickly except for third block. dennis and jim and jim's manager observe me during third block tomorrow. okay. here goes nothing. in the morning i still have to print off diagnostic tests for clalc, as well as figure out what to do with the remaining time of calculus. furthermore, there is an activity i need to get more familiar with for the freshman. and i wanted to do the whole diagnostic before i gave it to them, as well as do the DO NOW before i gave it to them. shoot i still have to finish that power point.5 am here i come. apparently juniors and seniors were arguing in the hall today about whether i look like a hard ass or a cheerleader. haha. BOTH. oh my goodness. i need to plan for advisory/srb with soph/juniors tomorrow. those kids are HUGE. and tough. and HUGE.

as i fall asleep on the first night before my teaching career

i am the plant

family members are my roots

my friends ground me

roots can't flourish if they are not grounded

ground is pointless for the plant unless there are roots

some friends are family

we are plants with no roots, transplanted in each other's soil, and then over time we grow strong roots

kaitlin. taylor. nicole. mark. peter. seth.

some family are friends

they are the roots that are tended to with good soil

bekah. kay. betsy. dad. adam.