Very First Day-Frantic

9/3/2013 

Day 1, Millions to Go!

Let me start by saying that I live a ver different lifestyle than most teachers. I am working at a private boarding academy in a wicked small town on the down eastern seacoast of East Machiais Maine. I am a residential faculty member, with about 15 boys from other counties living ehre to attend school, and I am their parent. there are about 50 guys in the building total, which makes for quite the it of testosterone and hormones as most as freshmen/sophomores. I am a new aspiring mathematics teacher at a higher level secondary school, I had to attend cheerleading practice where I am the helper that runs the team. The coach is letting me do quite a bit and I really appreciate it the reins that she allows me to have. The team is full of a bunch of hard working girls with a great attitude, I really enjoy helping them and trying our best to make things look better for the program. They are improving everyday and want so badly to be good cheerleaders that I can not ask for a better set of girls, until maybe next year.

Today was my very first day of teaching and it sure was interesting. My classroom to start is at the top of a very old building that includes nothing but all the heat that exists in the state of Maine. I have been working on setting up a classroom that is presentable to all students and comes to find out I'm very lost and forgetful. I missed placed tons of things, hardly anything was ready to be handed out. I was a wreck in a nutshell but it is over and we are moving on. My room has been decorated with cloth, ribbon border, and paint sample stencil letters, it is pretty crafty I must say. Clearly, I am very proud. My desk is full of god knows what since I have been throwing things in it all day. My desks are messed up and I didn't create a seating chart like I had planned. This is way too much to remember while you are too far away from teachers to ask for advice.

Today we started the classes with only freshmen and up and coming new students from other districts and such, thanks for the heads up. Missed that e-mail but I was grateful since I was a total wreck. I covered the syllabus lightly and had some color for the day, It was a waste of a day but id helps the kids feel the school one day before getting blasted with classmates.  I have mostly seniors in my homeroom and I have seniors block 1. We are on block scheduling and I hope that I can stay focused that long. I have mostly freshmen block 3 for algebra 1, and foundations. These classes are going to be quite a bit of fun and I'm pretty pumped. I think that I can really have a good chance to connect with the kids in these courses.

Teachers are begging me to be in committees and I laugh because I read books that would state that first year teachers get hammered to be part of so much, I have to remember at some point, that I can not be part of everything.

In algebra 1, and Foundations I typically have the lower level learners and I think that is one of my best areas, we I guess we will find out. Tomorrow we have a starting assembly and students will be removed from classes periodically so it's another wash of a day, this time I am far more prepared. As always tomorrow is a new day, may the odds be ever in my favor.

Go Raiders,
Ryan Shannon