School Rant

School started yesterday. I'm exhausted. I went to bed at 9:30 last night and still slept through my alarm this morning (thank goodness not long enough to make me late for work). Ugh.

It's easy to forget over the summer how mentally taxing it is to run a classroom. Especially the first few weeks of school when the kids are testing to see how much they can get away with. This particular class has a bit of a reputation as lazy and obnoxious. Joy.

Things were better today than yesterday, however. I think I know all 60 of their names. It will take a while to firmly implant in their heads that we, in fact, are in charge - not them.

I know I sound like an ogre - I felt a little like one yesterday, too.

The bright spot in my day? Dozens of last years students screaming their heads off when our (my teaching partner and my) pictures were shown during the start-of-school assembly. I've gotten dozens of hugs and high-fives in the halls this week. I miss them all terribly and wish we could pick up where we left off in June.

The question that runs through my brain: can we turn this year's class into a similar type of cohesive unit or will we struggle every day? It took until October last year to bond with the students in a meaningful way. It's actually an interesting story, but I'm too tired to tell it. Maybe next time.