First Week Ramblings

Now that the first four days of school are done, it's time to reflect on it all with a few random thoughts.

Right now I feel like I've died and gone to teacher heaven. I can't believe how well my classes have gone so far. Teaching right now is absolutely wonderful, and is a hundred percent better than the day to day struggles I had with various classes on far too many occasions last year. My current euphoric state may have something to do with the fact that it's the first week, and that serious discipline issues usually don't arise that quickly. But I think it has more to do with my schedule, which is very different and much improved from last year.

Having a study hall instead of cafeteria duty makes a world of difference. There is tons of paperwork that always needs doing at school. Now I have an extra forty-five minutes each day to work on it, rather than being on my feet policing the trash and food throwing. And the students have been mostly quiet in my study. You know what an unusual experience it is for me to see twenty-five freshmen and five sophomores quiet for a whole period? Well, for the most part it's happening in my study hall (and they hear my fake angry/harsh side when it isn't quiet.) It's an amazing, beautiful thing to behold, if only for what it allows me to get done. And one of my antsy students asked for something to do today, so I gave him some paperwork to sort. Even better when students do some of your work for you!

I love my students. This includes both those who don't care a lot about school, and those who do. But there has been something really refreshing about dealing with four classes of relatively motivated juniors on a daily basis. And they have lots of personality. For some reason it seems like they are way more lively than last year. Might have something to do with the fact that I have been way more relaxed when it comes to opening up about myself, have felt free to be crazy, and have been more successful in breaking out of my introverted self to talk to students about their lives. This has led to a freeness on their part to show their personality. I have lots of the bubbly, extrovert type, along with the quiet, reserved, shy ones. The combination is refreshing. I am especially glad for students who will enter into discussions, even if they might need a little reining back on occasion for being too talkative.

I have some uniquely talented groups of students. One class has about half a dozen females who are all seriously into dancing of one sort or another. Another has a female fencer who is Olympically-rated. I learned she is aiming for the 2008 Olympics. The top 16 make the team, and she is currently ranked number 30. So maybe she'll be good enough to go by 2008, and I'll be famous by association. Other students are seriously into music, acting, singing, etc.

My classes seem to be a magnet this year for cheerleaders and football players, as well as other jock types. Last year I had one football player and three cheerleaders. This year I think I have about 6-8 football players, half a dozen cheerleaders, and maybe a dozen others involved in various other sports. In addition I have lots of students involved in band.

So far I sense in general a higher academic ability in my U.S. classes compared to last year. This is also exciting, refreshing, and challenging. Several of my students are in a higher level English class, and probably should be in AP U.S., but are taking my class instead. Fortunately for me, this raises the academic level of the whole class, with tremendously positive effect.

I have triplets in one class! Yup, that's right. Two girls just transferred today from the AP U.S. class to join their sister in the same period. How crazy is that! And I think they're identical. So I have placed them in different parts of the room, which I trust will keep me from mixing them up.