my first day back with kids. i was excited. i was anxious to meet the little ones that would fill the desks. my nerves began to rise as the time drew closer to the opening bell. i met them outside, with parents asking a multitude of questions.
our day went fairly smoothly, but i seemed to have forgotten just how needy and helpless new first graders are. this morning, we were only able to accomplish a few things on the list of many activities planned for the day.
having the kids introduce one another and themselves was a chore. they were shy, embarrassed, and not quite sure how to respond to me and their peers. we pushed through. next came collecting their supplies. after piling the tissues, baby wipes, copy paper, and ziploc bags, we moved on to their school supplies.
"i have scissors!"
"i have two glue sticks!"
"i have a purple folder!"
great. good for you. excellent, but i didn't ask for that. just a few of my remarks!
it took 20 minutes to teach them procedures to potty. yes, it seems brainless to us, but imagine getting 24 kids to go to the bathroom quietly, without disrupting others, and to find their squares to form the perfect, straight line for mr. hahn.
i look at the clock. it's 11. 15 minutes until lunch and we have yet to discuss rules, let alone tour the lunch room, foreign to them.
the afternoon allowed us more time to complete the things i had originally hoped to accomplish.
45 minutes until the end of the day, it was already time to pack up. with 24 kids and 5,328 papers to go home to their parents, it was just enough time to teach them how to use their "take-home folder", color in their behavior, read a chapter of "junie b. - first grader at last", and send them on their way (only after teaching them which way their chair should face when stacked on their desk at the end of the day and the importance of picking up trash off the floor!)
i thought to myself: i wish we were 6 weeks into the school year. the kids would know the routine, and i would have to say very little to get them to do what i asked.
eventually, i will have trained my 24 little soldiers. and room 113 will be the envy of the school.
day 2, here we come!
my feet hurt. my back is sore. i am exhausted!
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2 comments:
do you make them salute you and say "yes drill segeant!!" ? hee hee.
nice work! sounds like my kids were...when i had some. i miss teaching! have a great year mr. hahn!
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