It's funny. Today was my second full day as a real-life teacher and the novelty has already worn off. I find that completely hilarious.

I suppose that could mean many things:
1. I've reached my comfort zone early
2. Teaching is a crazy profession that requires an incredible amount of stamina every day
3. I'm a cynic

Now, I don't mean to say that I don't like my job. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I think I have one of the best jobs in the world. I might have trouble dragging myself out of bed at 5am on a rainy morning, but I never wish for school to be cancelled (just for 294 to be traffic-free.)

My first day went really well. I over-planned, but got through about 3/4 of the material I planned, which I thought was pretty commendable considering that the first day is always so crazy. I explained procedures and we got to know each other, organized all our supplies and took first day pictures. The kids did great, and they were obviously listening carefully because this morning (Day 2) they followed all the procedures without any reminders or any problems. This was a total shock to me, as the 3rd graders I had in the fall took weeks to perfect the morning routine. I'll give myself a bit of credit - I was very clear when I explained my expectations, and I think that made a lot of difference.

I do have to say that I am really proud of myself. I can't believe I'm really here, where I've been headed since I was in second grade. I feel confident about my role in the classroom, but I am still a little nervous about what goes on behind the scenes. There are extremely high expectations in this district, and I'm concerned about things like parent complaints/concerns/gossip, about planning a 90 minute reading block without so much as a set of clear learning goals provided by the district, about my principal not agreeing with the schedule we developed last year and waiting to throw a fit until the night before the first day of school.

Things are still up in the air, and there's a lot of worries, but I keep trying to remind myself that it's ONLY DAY 2...even if it feels like we've been here for weeks. It's only my FIRST YEAR of teaching, so I don't have to be perfect. And there are so many people in my building that are eager and willing to help me figure everything out. If there's one thing I'm the most thankful for, it's the staff in the building I work in. The welcome I have received is unbelievable, and the support that I get every single day is so helpful. I'm a lucky gal :-)

I feel like that was an unsubstantial description, but I'm so exhausted that I've run out of brain cells. Ask questions, and I'll answer them - that will be easier!