This morning I had my first of what will be monthly new teacher meetings. This weekend I wrote my sub plans for the afternoon, then promptly re-wrote them last night to calm a colleague who was freaking out about missing the morning because he was afraid his fourth graders couldn't handle a sub for the literacy block.

So, I arrived at school at 6:30 (this is becoming normal. That scares me.) to get some (more) work done before I had to be at my new teacher meeting at 8:30. Of course, I had everything prepared for the sub the night before, thinking that I would be able to sleep in and go straight to the new teacher meeting at 8:30. Unfortunately, I chickened out and opted to work for an hour before school, rather than staying at school till after 5pm 2 days in a row. I stayed till 4, and am considering that a rock star move.

While the meeting wasn't necessarily as productive or relaxing as the administration advertised it to be, it was a welcome break from the classroom. The first few weeks are undeniably stressful, overwhelming, and frustrating. There are so many questions that lack answers, lists upon lists of things that you still need to accomplish, and voices in your head that are constantly reminding you of what you're not doing, but should be. It's truly exhausting, but a morning away from the children made 100% of a difference. When I came back in the afternoon and they were actually happy to see me, it made me remember what I had nearly forgotten in the first week: I love kids, and I love teaching.

Just a brief respite helped me get my bearings and think about what has gone well and what needs improvement. It helped me prioritize and brought to light the ways in which I am already ahead. In the first weeks, and first months, to be fair, it is ALL about baby steps. I've mentioned this before, but it is rapidly becoming my mantra. Accept that big things don't come immediately. Big accomplishments are the product of countless baby steps, especially for teachers.

Oh, and among other little victories today, I survived my first scary parent phone call. This particular parent is known to be rather intense, and her voicemail was down right frightening. I was literally shaking after listening to it. But I did my homework before calling back, thought through her concern and figured out an answer. I was an active listener and asked how I could help, thanked her so much for calling, and ended the conversation by telling her what strides her son has made since last year. She actually thanked me, told me that my explanation made perfect sense, and we hung up on very good terms. Perhaps I have won the trust of this parent. It gives me confidence that I do have the skills to win the trust of many more :-)