First Day Jitters
There is an electricity in the air in August as the first day of school approaches. Teachers are full of hope and optimism. Pencils are sharp. Desks are clean. The classroom is spotless and tidily organized.
I feel that electricity now, jumping through my veins. I have first day jitters.
It’s not August. There are no sharp pencils in sight, nor an organized classroom.
It’s March 29, 2020. Coronavirus shut down our school and our lives; interrupted everything we called normal and routine.
Tomorrow we begin digital learning. Tomorrow I become a quaranteacher. It is the start of a brand, new adventure, full of unknowns. I have prepared as well as I can, but tomorrow morning looms like a cloud in the distance. I’m watching it come closer. What will it bring?
Teachers love the first of school. We take great pride in designing beautiful and functional classrooms. We plan and prepare weeks worth of meaningful lessons, games, and activities. We do all our beginning of the year favorites. We exhibit full control, impeccable attention to detail.
Then we wait for our students. We hold our breath. What will be coming through our classroom door? It is unknown. It is uncontrollable.
I no longer have my beautiful classroom. I have a desk in the spare room, with a computer and the scattered supplies I gathered in a frenzy on my last visit to the classroom. I have a picture of each of my students in a giant magnetic heart.
I don’t have every lesson planned to perfection. I won’t be able to do all my favorite spring activities with my students: the ones I wait all year to unveil. I don’t have control.
Instead, I have something better. I already have my students in my heart. I know exactly who is going to log on to my virtual conference tomorrow morning. I know their quirks, their hopes and dreams, their talents and fears.
They fill me with hope and optimism. I get to take these precious students on a great new adventure, challenging them in new ways. I get to be creative in ways I never even considered. Maybe I’ll even pick up a new favorite activity along the way.
Tomorrow: the adventure begins. Today: I’m going to enjoy these first day jitters. How often does a teacher get to have two first days of school in the same year?
I feel that electricity now, jumping through my veins. I have first day jitters.
It’s not August. There are no sharp pencils in sight, nor an organized classroom.
It’s March 29, 2020. Coronavirus shut down our school and our lives; interrupted everything we called normal and routine.
Tomorrow we begin digital learning. Tomorrow I become a quaranteacher. It is the start of a brand, new adventure, full of unknowns. I have prepared as well as I can, but tomorrow morning looms like a cloud in the distance. I’m watching it come closer. What will it bring?
Teachers love the first of school. We take great pride in designing beautiful and functional classrooms. We plan and prepare weeks worth of meaningful lessons, games, and activities. We do all our beginning of the year favorites. We exhibit full control, impeccable attention to detail.Then we wait for our students. We hold our breath. What will be coming through our classroom door? It is unknown. It is uncontrollable.
I no longer have my beautiful classroom. I have a desk in the spare room, with a computer and the scattered supplies I gathered in a frenzy on my last visit to the classroom. I have a picture of each of my students in a giant magnetic heart.
I don’t have every lesson planned to perfection. I won’t be able to do all my favorite spring activities with my students: the ones I wait all year to unveil. I don’t have control.
Instead, I have something better. I already have my students in my heart. I know exactly who is going to log on to my virtual conference tomorrow morning. I know their quirks, their hopes and dreams, their talents and fears.
They fill me with hope and optimism. I get to take these precious students on a great new adventure, challenging them in new ways. I get to be creative in ways I never even considered. Maybe I’ll even pick up a new favorite activity along the way.
Tomorrow: the adventure begins. Today: I’m going to enjoy these first day jitters. How often does a teacher get to have two first days of school in the same year?
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