First Day of School

Yeah, so today was the big day. Everything I've been working for the last month (and technically the past four years). How was it? Eh. It started out pretty well. I couldn't tell who was more nervous, the boys or the teachers. They were scared, we were scared. It was a pretty even playing field. Here's a typical day:

7:00-7:30 am Students arrive
7:30 -8:00 am playtime in the gym/students clean the school (we don't have janitors, so the kids clean before school and the parents come in on weekends)
8:00-8:15 morning assembly (role call, and we say a prayer and have a word of the day. I didn't say anything and P didn't get mad at me, so I guess I'll be fine if I refrain from participating in the prayer part. I don't mind if it's a general one. But if they're a little too religious - any religion - I'm just not into it)
8:15-3:15 Classes
3:15-5:15 Sports
5:30-6:30 Kids go home for dinner (we're only a day school)
6:30-8:30 Evening study hall (which is not mandatory unless you have below a C average, but most kids come anyway.

Teachers have to be there from 7-9 basically. Yikes. Today was only a half day so the kids were dismissed at noon and there were no sports or evening study. I will still there 'til 5 doing stuff, but I've actually been there from about 8-8 for the past week, so it was kind of nice to get out early.

My first class was sort of rough. These kids have NEVER been in such a structured environment and most of them were confused. They just didn't get it. And I didn't have the heart to really crack down on them on the first day. Tomorrow, that will change. I sort of let them walk all over me today and I didn't like it. They were jumping out of their seats and talking out of turn and talking, talking, talking. But I don't really blame them. It's not entirely their fault. They're sort of used to chaos and it's hard to change years of bad habits in one half day of class. It was just sort of frustrating. They're good kids. And smart. Just not used to focusing. It'll take time and patience.

I must admit I'm a bit out of my element when it comes to getting them to calm down though. My personality is not entirely kid friendly... and I'm used to dealing with adults. So I have to develop a more creative (and G rated) vocabulary and method for getting them to settle down. Confidence isn't necessarily the issue for me... but authority is. M and I have to work a little harder to earn it simply because we're women. The 5th graders were much more well behaved for D and N; which is not to say they were perfect. But much better.

The 6th graders are awesome. Very attentive. Very respectful. You can see they're hungry for it and won't be as hard to manage as the younger ones.

All in all. Eh. It was a first day. High points. Low points. Lots of medium points. I think I'm just so glad it's over (I've never been so nervous for anything in my life...) that I'm just kind of drained.

High point: catching a football during morning recess and making all the boys go "Damn!"

Sweet.