The first day jitters. They happened and spread throughout me like a bad rash. I was not feeling so confident when my students rushed in yesterday morning. The first day is so unstructured I felt like I didn't have enough to do. I guess the day was ok until the end when dismissal started. I was responsible for about 30 kids from my pod to escort them to the car rider line. Well, let's just say I only got about 12 there. The big kids were swarming the hallways at the same time and my darling 3rd graders hadn't listen to a word I said about where to go. Wonderful. Luckily, they all managed to find my curly head and maneuver their way to the correct classroom. Then another teacher and I waited until 3:45 to get all the kids picked up. I guess there was a bad accident. Jeez, how inconvenient. Try keeping 50 3rd graders entertained at the end of the first day...no thanks. Overall, they were great and I knew that the second day of school would have to be better.
The second day rolled around and was absolutely perfect. Students came in, responded to my greeting, got straight to work and were complete gems. My afternoon group came over with smiles and no drama. We tweeted about our day, finished our math pre-test, started our interest inventory, and then danced to the Macarena! Definitely the most fun I had all day. It really helped to laugh with them and show them how we care and have fun together. Highly recommend it.
Then it was dismissal time again. My nerves suddenly on edge...I see the thunder clouds and know that here in Florida, those thunderclouds are coming to do a job and they will not disappoint. I lead my kids out and decide to wait in the open sidewalk so the 4th graders can pass. "I will not loose a child in this mass of bodies!" I said out loud. Then of course it started to rain. Pelt. Pelting us with penny size drops. "Okay guys, let's go! Stay together!" I had no choice. I joined the river of moving students that are all flowing downstream and pray that I can make it out alive. It was hard too, because the fourth graders all want to hug me and all I can think about is "What did my new kids look like? Was that one my kid who ran to the cafeteria?" Jeez. We finally made it to our drop off location and the lightening is really coming down. The stop calling names because of the lightening and thunder. Then I see some lightening, rain, hear people yelling then lights flicker and a overwhelming sound erupts in my ears. So I scream.
Yep. I scream. Shriek maybe. In front of all the 3rd grade car riders which leads to chaos, of course. I terrify a 3rd grade girl so much she starts to cry and shake like a leaf. She latches on to my co-teacher, who is bug-eying me. She and my team lead are looking at me like I have lost my mind. They quickly try to calm everyone down."That thunder was loud!" I spit out to try to save face. My team leader looks at me and says, "That was the toilet flushing. Way to go under pressure teach."
Well, everyone (except the girl who is crying) start to laugh hysterically and we can't hear if any of our kids are even being called to the pick - up gate. So my apologies from the third grade dismissal room. We were a little off today.
Lesson learned: I am not so great, in severe weather...
My most embarrassing moment is done and out of the way. Whew.
Tiff
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