Our first day of school was Thursday, and by Friday at 3pm, I was exhausted! You know it's a bad sign when I'm not the only one who said, "Only 178 more days to go!" By the end of day two, I'd already had to bail one of my past 8th graders out of a terrible science class (he's my favorite, so it's okay!), argued twice with a past 8th grader, helped about 60 lost kids get unlost, and decided I'm not too fond of two children. One mocked everything my associate and I did or said, and the other called me a "stupid b!tch" during a fun, get-to-know-you activity! It wasn't even over anything difficult! ... and it's day two!
On the plus side, my past 8th graders have all trucked down to say hello and to visit. I even had two sophomores at the building across the parking lot come over to check in! One of my students (who is very intelligent, and only has a behavior goal) has decided he "likes me," and that I'm "okay with him." One of my autistic children went home to tell him mom he thinks I'm "pretty cool," and one of the most difficult girls in the building (she is living in a hotel right now, and has had a terrible upbringing) thinks I'm "a nice teacher."
From "stupid b!tch" to "nice teacher," this is what I've got for the nest 178 days. Like I always tell my teachers, "We'll be okay. We'll make it work!" Maybe ...
My classroom - green, positive, and ready to role! By next Friday, it will be a pit!
My home away from home - Johnston Middle School
www.johnston.k12.ia.us/MiddleSchool/index.html
Nice place!
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