Second Day!

So today was my second day at WMMS. Walking through the halls, I was definitely feeling more comfortable with being in the school. It was so nice hearing the students say, “Good morning Ms. Astor” as they passed me in the hall. A simple “hello” is a small gesture, but it is definitely reassuring.

Even though it’s only the second day of school, I am already familiarizing myself with the daily routine of the classroom: settle in, reading/writing connection, mini-lesson, and wrap-up. Because the school year has just started, the first few days are spent teaching student about proper behavior and classroom management. Today I had the opportunity to “teach” two mini-lessons to class. As the students begin the year, they are taught the proper code of conduct through the CATS matrix. Today, I was able to teach the students about the procedure for entering and exiting the cafeteria. Although this was a small task, it was my first time in front of all of the students. Already, I’m looking forward to what’s to hold this year!

Happy First Day of School!

Whew! I can breathe a sigh of relief; my first day of seventh grade is officially over. I must say, overall, today was a great day. Walking from the parking lot this morning, I was a bit fearful of the day ahead of me. First impressions are lasting ones, what will I think of my students? What will they think of me?However, as soon as I saw the first student entered the classroom, my fears started to disappear. It helped me so much to be able to put faces with the once-hypothetical students I have been planning for. The students, like me, have a healthy mix of nervousness and excitement about the upcoming school year.

WMMS has undergone a battery of changes: a new bell schedule, an additional class reserved for Enrichment and Remediation, and a new discipline/consequence policy. It definitely helps to know that I am not the only person adjusting to something new. Through my experiences today, I gained a better sense of “first day of school” procedures. Right off the bat, it’s incredibly important to begin with classroom management. By teaching school rules and modeling correct conduct, the students will start their seventh grade year off on the right foot.

All it took was this one day for me to realize that the classroom is where I belong. Even though I may not feel ready to begin teaching lessons, I know that I have a passion for my students to succeed. I am so excited for what is to come this year. I cannot wait to start getting to know my students and learning from them and my cooperating teacher.

First Day of School Eve

Tomorrow I begin my first day of school as a student teacher at West Millbrook Middle School. After numerous courses at Meredith and a week full of faculty meetings, I am both excited and apprehensive about what is to come tomorrow. As I sit here typing, millions of questions are swarming in my head: will the students like me? Will I develop strong classroom management? Am I prepared for what is to come? Am I ready? Am I competent enough in my content area? Clearly, much like my students, I have jitters about my first day of seventh grade. I figure the best way to combat these fears is by being prepared; therefore, my outfit is hanging from my closet door, my lunch is nestled in the fridge, and my bag is stocked full. Wish me luck!