My First Days as a "Legit" Teacher - It's Been Awesome!

I survived my first week teaching even though I’ve only had the students for two days.  It’s been wonderful, and things have gone just as good if not better than what I had envisioned.  I’ve been working my butt off, showing up early, and staying late (I’ve been one of the last people to leave these past two days).  The other teachers are friendly, the principal is so easy to speak to, my mentor/teacher that I’ve taken over for is a godsend, and my students are awesome!  My room is one of the first classrooms as you enter the building and is right across from the office so I get teachers and administration dropping in throughout the day.  I still have sooo much to learn though – I don’t know where everything is (the schools down here are split into different buildings spread out on the campus), the state/county requires different procedures and other things I’m not familiar with, I don’t know where the teacher’s work room is, and it’s truly very different, but I’m learning a little more each day.  The principal assured me not to worry about any of the technical stuff yet, but to just come to school and be ready to teach the kids, so that’s what I’m doing!

In just these past two days teaching, and the two previous days spent as “teacher work days,” I’m learning just how grateful I am for everything leading me up to this point.  Millikin truly did supply me with the knowledge and skills that I would need for this.  I look back and remember complaining about some of the assignments we did and how “pointless” they were, but now I see how valuable they actually were!  My student teaching and subbing has also been so beneficial with the hands-on experience and advice from veteran teachers that so kindly shared everything they knew with me.  I’ve always been thankful for these things, but now I feel this more than ever.  It was funny today when the principal asked me if the kids were any different down here than what I was used to back home, and I just had to laugh and say, “Sir, kids are kids!”  I did however go on to tell him how I get a huge kick out of all of the kids down here decked out from head to toe in camouflage – lunch boxes included. 

These kids are so awesome.  I’ve loved all of the kids that I’ve ever had the joy of sharing a classroom with, but something is just different about the kids here.  We are basically comprised of “home grown” kids who have family going back as far as they know living in this town, and we also have a lot of kids from military families.  The “home grown” kids are the ones I get the biggest kick out of.  Their accents are so thick, that I’ve had to ask some students to repeat what they are saying four different times (in which some occasions they just give up).  They live to go muddin’ in their trucks, hunt, fish, and just have a “good ol time!”  After reading some of the things that they have written, many of the kids lack confidence in their skills and knowledge, but it’s already apparent that they actually DO have a desire to learn.  Several of them have spoken to me telling me how they want to do well in this class, but they are worried.  I’ve reassured them that I’m going to help them the entire way.  They already know my expectations are high, but I know that they can do it.  I promised them that they will understand grammar, will be able to write a good research paper, and will learn to understand what they are reading.  I think that’s what I already love so much about these kids – you can see that they really do want to learn and don’t want to disappoint me.  And things like that – well, they make me work that much harder because I don’t want to let them down.  I told them how EVERY  DAY they are going to be reading for 20 minutes at the end of each class (here students have the same 4 – 90 minute classes every day for a semester), but that it’s not to be any school-assigned reading.  At first they said, “Well hey, some of us have library fines,” and I told them that I would bring in books that they could read.  I was happily surprised when they were actually excited about me doing this – it was not the reaction that I expected.  When I went over some of my classroom procedures and told them what they are to do if they don’t have their homework (which is basically my way of documenting their excuse as to why they don’t have it in case I receive that question from “momma” or “daddy”) I was met with the comment, “Hey, that’s actually pretty cool!”  It’s the little things like these that assure me that these kids do want to be here, and that they do want to learn.

I’ve gotten a huge smile about a lot of things already: my one student who legitimately goes by his nickname Bubba (even the office adheres to this); the student who still doesn’t understand double negatives no matter how I try and break it down (“I don’t have no plans”);  the student whose accent has been dubbed by his classmates as another language; the student I caught red-handed trying to sneak a dip in his mouth in the middle of class; how every conversation always winds up with hunting being the main topic; being called ma’am all day; the kids who say, “I can’t really read. I’m super slow at it, but I’ll volunteer anyways;” the way they all participate willingly; when they say, “Ma’am don’t be mad at me, but I lost that paper…”.  It’s only day two, but I totally love my students.  By the end of the day, I’m pretty sure I’ve picked up some temporary southern twang in my attempts to “communicate” with them. 

            It’s been a crazy, wild week, but I’ve received so much help, and I can’t say enough about my mentor/teacher that I took over for.  I honestly don’t know what I would do without her!  She has guided me every step of the way, while still somehow managing to let me do my own thing.  I know that has got to be extremely hard to do, but she’s got it down perfectly.  She gives me great advice, answers my questions honestly, offered me everything in the classroom that was hers – and I mean everything, supports my decisions, and is always sure to tell me when I’ve done an excellent job; she even paid for me so I can wear jeans on Friday since I, “don’t have a paycheck yet.”  I think she is probably the person I’ve gotten to know the best down here, aside from my roommate.  Needless to say, this lady is getting one heck of a Christmas present come next year.

            I am so happy with everything right now.  I have a great roommate, great students, great administration, and great co-workers.  Although everything has been very stressful, I am almost too happy to notice most days.  This is right.  This is where I belong.  This is what I needed.  I couldn’t ask for anything better than what I have right now!