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.....