And so it begins.
On Wednesday we started our first day of school. It was a little hectic as expected, but we managed it quite well. I compare it how we started off last year and we are off to a great start. I am encouraged and excited for a great year. Our staff is rejuvenated with some new young faces. Our new principal is a home-grown Greenville native who knows how to effectively communicate with the staff and is has a way with the children that is natural and genuine.
We had homeroom for the first three days as our registration and scheduling gets taken care of. Budget cuts have such a profound impact of the student daily lives. I can't imagine being held in a single class for 8 hours either, so I empathized with my students who were beginning to get frustrated. I'm going to have to go through the first day of school over again when I get the rest of my students, a date which still seems far away.
This week I was blessed with 16 beautiful black boys and girls. All different shapes sizes and shades. Each with their own story, their own set of talents and setbacks. I wanted to emphasize early and often that my classroom was a place of safety, order and an opportunity to get money. (EDUCATION=MONEY)
In the first three days I've been watching they dynamics of the class fluctuate. There were times where we had super highs and everyone was engaged and focused on achievement-excited to absorb every word that left my lips. One of our assignments was to change the words of Pretty Boy Swag to Solomon Swag and make a song that would demonstrate their school pride. The creative juices were flowing. Kids were engaged: rapping and having fun.
There were also a couple moments that reminded me how quickly kids can find trouble. One girl had a pair of handcuffs and locked herself in them, another got into an argument with a girl over a boy and I have a class clown who thinks its funny to yell "for Real" throughout the day.
These few days have reminded of my responsibility as a teacher to be more than just an educator. I am my brother's Keeper. I have a 16-year-old seventh grader. He's just about as tall as I am, weighs about 195 and has got huge tattoos all over. I've been thinking about him a lot, and how I need to be more than just a teacher for him. He is constantly reaching out to me and I don't want to think of the ramifications if I don't answer.
Teaching is a calling. Time to upgrade my minutes.
On Wednesday we started our first day of school. It was a little hectic as expected, but we managed it quite well. I compare it how we started off last year and we are off to a great start. I am encouraged and excited for a great year. Our staff is rejuvenated with some new young faces. Our new principal is a home-grown Greenville native who knows how to effectively communicate with the staff and is has a way with the children that is natural and genuine.
We had homeroom for the first three days as our registration and scheduling gets taken care of. Budget cuts have such a profound impact of the student daily lives. I can't imagine being held in a single class for 8 hours either, so I empathized with my students who were beginning to get frustrated. I'm going to have to go through the first day of school over again when I get the rest of my students, a date which still seems far away.
This week I was blessed with 16 beautiful black boys and girls. All different shapes sizes and shades. Each with their own story, their own set of talents and setbacks. I wanted to emphasize early and often that my classroom was a place of safety, order and an opportunity to get money. (EDUCATION=MONEY)
In the first three days I've been watching they dynamics of the class fluctuate. There were times where we had super highs and everyone was engaged and focused on achievement-excited to absorb every word that left my lips. One of our assignments was to change the words of Pretty Boy Swag to Solomon Swag and make a song that would demonstrate their school pride. The creative juices were flowing. Kids were engaged: rapping and having fun.
There were also a couple moments that reminded me how quickly kids can find trouble. One girl had a pair of handcuffs and locked herself in them, another got into an argument with a girl over a boy and I have a class clown who thinks its funny to yell "for Real" throughout the day.
These few days have reminded of my responsibility as a teacher to be more than just an educator. I am my brother's Keeper. I have a 16-year-old seventh grader. He's just about as tall as I am, weighs about 195 and has got huge tattoos all over. I've been thinking about him a lot, and how I need to be more than just a teacher for him. He is constantly reaching out to me and I don't want to think of the ramifications if I don't answer.
Teaching is a calling. Time to upgrade my minutes.
