69 days

My first teaching experience out of college lasted a mere 69 days. That's right 69 days!!! I thought I was going to be teaching students. Turns out, it was more like babysitting. I began teaching 6th and 7th grade students in my hometown. I made many mistakes along the way, which I have learned from and will never do again. I hope to list my troubles here, so that perhaps in the future, my misfortune will help another unsuspecting first year teacher.

Rule #1) Always start the school year at the BEGINNING of the school year. Due to the fact that I was on contract with a previous employer, I could not start until two weeks after school began. BIG MISTAKE!!! HUGE!!!! It was all down hill from there. If you can't start on the very first day, you must rule with an iron fist at least until Winter Break, otherwise they will eat you alive.

Rule #2) You are their teacher, not their friend. I always wanted to be the cool teacher. The one that every kid liked. However, I realized during this time, that the students liked me, but they in NO way respected me. This was where I lost them.

Rule #3) If you are a 22 year old female, right out of college, and you are teaching 6th and 7th grade boys, whose hormones are going crazy, it is DEFINATELY NOT a good idea to wear pantyhose. Once, I leaned on a desk and crossed my legs. A male student had to be "excused" because he heard my pantyhose crinkle and it "turned him on". AAAAHHHH the joy of puberty!

Rule #4) Dealing with Parents - Most students don't care about their education, because their parents don't care about their education. I remember a call that I made to a parent about troubles that I was having with a student in my class. The parent's response to me was, "Well, from 8 to 3, he's your problem. YOU deal with him!" CLICK! ....... Nice huh? And thank you for your support.

There are many more rules, ideas and brainstorms that I would love to share. Please stay tuned for another installment. However, before I go, let me just say that my last day at this school ended with a student throwing a chair at me, and I passed out in class.

But that's another story for another day.....

What they don't teach in student teaching....

So when you go to college and you obtain a degree from an accreditted institution of education, you believe that you have been equipt with the necessary tools and an arsnal of theories to help you to manage and handle your "First Year of Teaching". You are an EDUCATOR!!! You are ready to hit the ground running, molding young minds, changing the world of tomorrow for the better, right?...... WRONG!!! Inevidably, you hit the ground running and you hit a brick wall!

Things are not like they were in the "ideal" classroom of your student teaching experience. There, you had another teacher. Someone who could help. Someone you could lean on. Someone who could be there for you when the S*&^ hit the fan. In "real life" teaching, there is no one! It is only you. You, among a class of children waiting for your next move. It's sort of like a chess game of life. Except you ALWAYS have to be thinking four and five moves ahead. Or you will never survive. I don't care how many Harry Wong books you've read, things are about to get stressful.....

We all go through it, every teacher, every year. The newbies and the veterans. Believe me, you are not alone. Here you will find stories that will help you get through your roughest times.

Hope you enjoy!