being new

Tonight was back to school night.

It's kinda awkward as a teacher---did you know that?

I've only met the kids twice.

And I have 240 of them.

So...I really don't know names yet.

Parents come in and expect me to know who their kid is when they say, "I'm Cooper's dad."

I usually just smile and nod and then play the chit-chat game for the next couple of minutes.

And other times you get the Chief Long-Wind dad.

That's awesome, too.

There are five other parents in the room--am I the only one that sees that?

C'mon, Chief, quiet the pipes so I can go talk to others.

All in all though, it was a really good experience.

I left with this thought in my mind: "I am sososososo happy to be at this school."

Today, as I was teaching, I realized how much I LOVE my career.

How many people can say that?

I didn't realize how much I missed it over the summer.

New students scare me though.

shhh.

I act mean and tough at first, but really I'm shaking inside.

I projected a seating chart on the second day of school, and I accidentally created it wrong.

Instead of 6 rows of 7, I entered 7 rows of 6.

So the students were obviously confused when the seating chart didn't match the desks.

One student said, "Um, how about you make a seating chart that makes sense?"

All in pure, nasty sarcasm, of course.

I eyed him down, and that silenced the class real quick.

It's hard being at a school where no one knows me.

Okay...no one knew me at the beginning of last year either.

But...I hate playing that part of the game all over again.

Trying to earn respect as the "unknown teacher" is really tricky.

So far, things have gone really smooth.

But I'm waiting for the hiccup.

I'm sure it's coming.

My parents left town yesterday.

Post to come about the fun times we had.

I already miss them.

BUT we get to keep the little seeester in Utah with us!

Woohoo!

FRIDAY tomorrow!