Starting 1st Grade

So I finished my first week as an official teacher. It’s actually MY classroom and somehow (despite the 12+ hours I’ve spent there almost everyday for the past 2 1/2 weeks), it still hasn’t fully hit me. I’ve spent so long waiting for my career to begin and it finally has. I am so thankful, so excited and so incredibly stressed out (but it’s a good thing).

My first week was good. Really fast. We almost got nothing done because of all the drilling and practicing of routines and rules. My kiddos are amazing. I have 3 from my kindergarten student teaching class which is such a blessing, they are great!

But of course every class comes with the students who make each day unique. They continuiously push their limits and look for new buttons to push. Brief overview of the few that I’m sure you will hear stories about. First, a little girl who was referred to our district’s alternative school last year (in kindergarten!!). The only reason she didn’t go is because her older brother went instead. She has started off with a decent week, but she is starting to show that side of her.  Next there is my retained first grader, so this is her second year in first grade. Based on the little bit of reading and writing we did this week, you really cannot tell she has been in first grade. Her writing is much less advanced than most of my class- who are all first time first graders. Next we have a boy who’s mom warned me he might be a little wild…but only because he spent summer at his grandma’s with  “a bunch of rowdy cousins” who have revved him up. Even when I’m talking directly to him, he doesn’t realize what he needs to do to follow directions. I’ll strait out say, directly to him 1-on-1, what his body/actions/etc. need to look like and he’s still in his own world doing everything opposite of the rest of the class.

I know students like these are inevitable, and it’s working with them and the wide range of others that make teaching so rewarding, I just wanted to give a breif insight into what will be making up my year.

The first week really did go great. The honeymoon phase of EVERYONE listening and being respectful ended on the third day of school which made practicing the routines and reviewing rules that much more fun. I am looking forward to getting into the year and working with and getting to know each of my kiddos individually. I can’t wait to see what challenges, experiences and learning opportunities I’ll endure in my first year teaching.

I’ll do better at posting on here, so I’m sure you will soon be reading about some crazy stuff happening in first grade.