4 Months!
I don't want to jinx myself like I usually do with these triumphal posts, but damn, today was a good day. And considering the tone of this blog has been known to be a bit, ahem, bleak, I figured I owed to anyone reading to share the good news. Besides, when the truly good days are this rare, why not revel in them?
The best part of my week happened today when a student remarked, "Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" as I was writing on the board and directed a student to pick up a piece of paper they had thrown. I thought to myself, "Finally! I did it! I have eyes in the back of my head!" I'm not saying I catch everything. Believe me I don't, but this felt like a big moment for me as a first year teacher.
This morning I was buying tea from a parent for the Parent Association's fundraiser. "What happened to you in California Mr. B?" the parent asked. To be honest, besides a nice new buzz cut, I don't know. But a few parents and a colleague of mine have commented since I've been back that something seems different and I feel the same way.
Maybe it's just the ten days of rest and relaxation. But I'd like to think (really, I'm praying) that it's something more. I'm trying to be more authoritative without being authoritarian. Yesterday and today I had to give my whole class a serious talk right after lunch, because they were talking, talking, talking in the halls and therefore wasting our time as I waited for them to settle down and be quiet. Sure it was frustrating, but at the same time, the class was silent while I talked. I finished talking today by saying, "You owe me an apology," and there was a chorus of "Sorry, Mr. B." I'm probably speaking too soon. But for now I'm gonna call that progress.
The best part of my week happened today when a student remarked, "Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" as I was writing on the board and directed a student to pick up a piece of paper they had thrown. I thought to myself, "Finally! I did it! I have eyes in the back of my head!" I'm not saying I catch everything. Believe me I don't, but this felt like a big moment for me as a first year teacher.
This morning I was buying tea from a parent for the Parent Association's fundraiser. "What happened to you in California Mr. B?" the parent asked. To be honest, besides a nice new buzz cut, I don't know. But a few parents and a colleague of mine have commented since I've been back that something seems different and I feel the same way.
Maybe it's just the ten days of rest and relaxation. But I'd like to think (really, I'm praying) that it's something more. I'm trying to be more authoritative without being authoritarian. Yesterday and today I had to give my whole class a serious talk right after lunch, because they were talking, talking, talking in the halls and therefore wasting our time as I waited for them to settle down and be quiet. Sure it was frustrating, but at the same time, the class was silent while I talked. I finished talking today by saying, "You owe me an apology," and there was a chorus of "Sorry, Mr. B." I'm probably speaking too soon. But for now I'm gonna call that progress.
Comments
Try not to show them off on dates, though.