a new beginning

Perplexity is the beginning of knowledge. ---Khalil Gibran

In one week, it all begins. Here I sit, at my kitchen table, in a power-productive mood (yes, I just downloaded some new music to get me going). I was up at classroom working on stuff for the first week of school, and I found myself staring at my empty desks. In one week's time, they will be filled with chattering 7th and 8th graders. Am I really prepared? My college diploma (a very expensive piece of paper) tells me that I am credited, certified, and capable. My classroom is pretty much ready, aesthetically speaking. My stomach tells me that I'll be the only adult in my room. My spinning head tells me that 29 adolescents in my homeroom will be overstimulating at times. And my heart tells me that I am in the right place.

I always loved the back-to-school time of the year. New clothes, new school supplies, new teachers, and a fresh start. It's finally hitting me that I will get this experience every year, and hopefully it will get easier as time goes on. I feel like I've already done two months' work for no pay, but the real work is still yet to be done, probably within the next two days. I report on Tuesday, but I'll be at school far more than the in-service days. I have so many goals, so many ideas...and no patience. I want to start it all right away. I know that it won't be possible to do everything I want in one year, but I feel like if I execute this properly, I can get maximum results. It just takes an insane amount of planning, something I LOVE to do anyway!

One thing I am looking forward to the most is the fact that I will get to teach these kids (especially the 7th graders, who will be new to this) how to organize and plan their days. We're going to spend extensive time learning how to use their planners provided by the school, how to set and reach goals, and how to make mental (or physical) lists that ensure they are ready for each day. It's not meant to prepare them just for high school, but life.

It's going to be a great year. I can feel it. But for now, I should probably get back to planning. Thanks for reading. Look for more soon!