According to the folks at Staples, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Their clever TV parody commercials feature an ecstatic parent in the store aisles, pulling the family sofa containing two very bored junior high youngsters.
-- For parents, it probably IS the most wonderful time, as they can hand over their youngsters to the teachers at the local school.
-- For students, it can be a mixture of highs and lows, as they are keen to see their classmates again (as if they haven’t been texting every five minutes since they parted in June!), but they realize that there is plenty of effort at work coming up.
-- For teachers (often the forgotten element in this mix), it can also be a period of mixed emotions: reviewing the new / old educational materials, writing lesson plans, setting up a classroom, as well as meetings and more meetings.
After working for more than 31 years in the classroom, I was often plagued by sleepless nights or a queasy stomach before an opening day!
-- First-year teachers or those who are starting in a new school, however, may have a particularly rough time. They haven’t met most of their new colleagues, all the settings and materials are new. In addition, they may be living on a restricted diet in late August, because they usually don’t get paid for the first month of their contract until the day they actually begin to teach!
Fear not, eager rookie teacher! You have probably received the best teacher training available in the world; you can finally begin to apply it in your own classroom. Take note that your classroom is YOUR responsibility, your domain: set it up in the most effective fashion, documenting your choices. Get yourself a mentor -- by asking colleagues for their guidance.
And finally, in the privacy of your classroom, say a short prayer, then get up, open that door, smile, and greet your students.
Welcome to the Adventure of Learning!
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