Excitement and Anxiety: The First Day of School
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been seeing teachers posting pictures of their classrooms on Facebook, saying, “My classroom’s ready!” That takes me right back to my childhood, helping my mom prepare her classroom for the students in the waning days of August.
My mom taught second and third grade at Valley Cottage Elementary School. And I remember her ritual of using the days before Labor Day to ready her classroom for her students.
Of course, preparing the classroom — even back then — meant spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of her own pocket on supplies — just as her colleagues did and teachers do today.
When I was a kid, we were lucky to have a laundry room that housed the washer and dryer, of course, but also served as my mom’s office, filled with all the supplies she bought for her class. It was a treasure trove of books and paper and pens.
She worked so hard every year to get ready to open the doors and welcome her students. Even years after she retired, when we were moving my parents out of that house, the laundry room was still stocked with school supplies. And my own basement is still stocked with all my lesson plans and supplies from the years I taught.
That brings me to my own time teaching. I remember the first day of school my first year in the classroom. My stomach churned with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Could I do the job? Could I connect with the kids? Will there be the chemistry to build relationships and get the job done, or will I totally flop?
As much success as I had had doing legal work, doing litigation, advocating in the courtroom or negotiating at the bargaining table, it was really different teaching kids — and frankly much harder.
It’s more than just knowing your content and what you’re going to teach. It’s classroom management. It’s the connection with kids. Can I manage my classroom without a hiccup? Do I have a good set of classroom protocols? Do I have all my handouts in order, all stapled? Will I know what to say, or am I just going to melt into a puddle?
Because kids see you as you really are. It’s like you’re stripped down to nothing. It’s almost like you’re naked, and they can see whether you’re a fraud or the real thing.
I remember my heart pounding as I walked into Clara Barton High School that first day. Will I be able to do it? Do I have what it takes to connect and teach and make a difference in the lives of these kids?
And for that same reason, the first day of school is the most optimistic day of the year. It’s a new start. A new chapter. A new chance to engage with students and colleagues. The dawn of a new day and year.
I loved teaching social studies. And I loved starting each year by teaching Excitement and Anxiety: The First Day of School — Schoolhouse Voices — Medium: