Ben Guest Assignment: Describe the first day of school. How was it different from last year?
Thursday was our first day with students, and one thing I can say with complete confidence is that everything about it felt much better than it had the first time around. That's not to say that I wasn't a little nervous, because I definitely was, and I had gotten very little sleep the night before. But more importantly, beyond those back-to-school jitters, was a sense of belonging. No longer was I someone new in an unfamiliar place, and the confidence that I had faked at this point last year, was now real and undoubtedly present in everything I did.
The day started with corralling all of the students into the auditorium for a welcoming speech delivered by our new principal. I remember how awkward it had been the first time, that feeling of being an outsider standing amongst hundreds of children and not knowing a single name, but this time it was different. It was great getting to see familiar faces, and being able to talk with students as they excitedly told me about how their summers had been.
As a second-year teacher I no longer felt as though I had to adhere to the old adage of, "Don't smile until Christmas." I smiled, and I smiled often; I joked with my students, but whenever the need arose, a swift consequence was dealt. It was as though it were a masterful rendition of bipolarity, a seamless transition between firm consequences and enthusiastic teaching. The extent to which I feel comfortable in a classroom now is almost surreal when I think back on how it had been my first year.
Even after the summer though, I'm still feeling pretty burnt out, but I am looking forward to a good year. With a new administration and a whole bunch of other changes occurring within the school there is a lot to be uncertain about, but I am being both positive and optimistic, and I am as sure as I can be that this year will be better than last.
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