The pencils were sharpened, the posters were hung, the desks were arranged in the ever-inviting U-shape. The only thing missing were the students.
(Classroom Library and posters)
The days leading up to the first day of school were filled with anticipation, anxiety, and excitement. I was nervous about establishing a classroom culture, especially as a new teacher. My students, only eight years younger than me, had the potential to smell fear and eat me alive.
Many new teachers are probably just trying to stay afloat...but for me, I think I'm beyond that. I'm looking towards the future, end goals for the students, and my instruction. Our school functions on an understanding by design model, which is how I made my lessons while I was in college. The transition is relatively easy for me, so now I can build. I'm ready to try new things, make mistakes, and learn from my students. And the best news is that I still have 166 days of school left to do all this!
(My desk in the back office.)
