My first day at school

i wake up to a buzzing alarm on the a.m. side of 5:30, which i cannot tell you for sure the last time i saw. i think it might have been one of those saturday mornings matt and i hoped to get up bright and early to ski, but usually left closer to 7:00. thank God i showered the night before, so now all i need to do is drink coffee, eat breakfast, get dressed and straighten my hair. i kiss matty goodbye and leave the apartment by about 6:10. my car is covered in frost (luckily i was actually expecting it), and i take a few minutes to get it thoroughly defrosted.

i drive the cold, dark road to base and over to the school. it is 6:28 when i pull in the parking lot. there is one car there and one coming in behind me. i get out and loiter for a minute, hoping the other person getting out of her car might be my teacher. i'm not sure if the building is unlocked, so if i can't get in, i think i might pace around looking for a turned on light and knock on the window. it turns out to be the librarian. we exchange introductions and she kindly leads me to my teacher's classroom.

i walk down the hall to the unlit room and stand outside for a minute. surely, she'll be here any minute. she said 6:30-40. two other teachers walk down towards me and explain that they are walking the halls. i'm not sure if it's for exercise or security. they invite me to come into their classrooms while i wait. i gladly accept their invitations while they finish walking. we talk for about 10 minutes or so until my teacher arrives. she comes by the room to say hello to the teachers and we get to meet. i feel overdressed.

i was told to dress for my first day as if it was a job interview. they said, "you are to dress to a higher standard than your cooperating teacher". i am wearing tweed pants, a pretty blouse, a black jacket, and black heels complete with knee highs in addition to my black peacoat and colorful scarf. jennifer is wearing fitted bootcut khaki pants, layered pink and gray knit shirts with heart buttons, leather loafer-type shoes, and a carhartt jacket. i am hesitant to take off my peacoat to reveal yet another black jacket. i want to say, "i really like jeans and t-shirts too. i'm not fancy. i'm simple." some teachers are dressed up and many are in velour jogging suits. i know it is better to overdress.

it doesn't matter how we are dressed. i just hope she cares about this as much as i do. i am tired because i did not sleep well last night. i tried to go to bed early, but was not used to it and couldn't fall asleep. i read for a bit and then forced myself to turn out the light, which meant i tossed and turned all night. i had a terrible dream that marcy died in a plane accident (marcy, i hope you're not traveling anywhere soon). and i kept waking up thinking i must have missed my alarm. apparently i was a little nervous. i just wanted to make a great (okay, the best they have ever seen, blow-your-socks-off) first impression because i really want to get a good teaching job when this is said and done.

my teacher shows me around the classroom, and tells me about all the kids (which ones to watch out for, which ones can't sit together, which ones are sassy). i want to know which ones are sweet and kind. she is very honest about the good, the bad, and the ugly. i can tell she really enjoys this profession and that we will get along well. i agree with most of the things she says and her way of teaching. i, of course, would love to redecorate the room completely and begin thinking of how i would change it if it were mine to change. i would probably say that about any room because it is something i love to do.

the kids come in between 8:00 and 8:30. they all look at me with curiosity. some hug me instantly just for smiling. they wonder about my name and i wonder about theirs. eventually i am introduced to the whole group. i tell them they can remember the pronunciation by thinking "smilin' keilen". this brings a sweet giggle and i am accepted as a cool teacher, or at least a cool kid. they are surprised that i don't let them walk on me when they try. they do a worksheet about Simon and the pieman. they laugh when i ask them what a pieman is. they have great thoughts about this. by 9 o' clock i am ready for more coffee, a nap, and a second breakfast.

the day goes well. the kids mostly rotate through small group areas, working on handouts and playing with manipulatives. they watch an episode of "the magic schoolbus", have lunch, a rest time with a show from discovery kids, have music with another teacher, recess, a snack, and a story. they even get to sing some silly songs. two children have drawn pictures for me. one has cut it out into a small square. another child has cried, partly because i would not draw a pumpkin for him or give him a new index card for his puppet. sorry, teacher's rules. it'll help you in the long run, kid.

the children go home between 3:20 and 3:30. my teacher and i go back to the room, talk for a few minutes, pack up and go home. it is 3:52 when i get in the car, utterly exhausted. i'm glad i didn't bother bringing gym clothes because i wouldn't make it. i am starving again. as soon as i get home i eat a piece of left-over pizza and two cookies. i'm starting to feel better. i decide to take a bubble bath. the hot water runs out half way through running the water, but i am already in and enjoying it. i sit for a few minutes thinking about the day until i realize the water is running out. i cannot get the plug to stop leaking. it won't close like it usually does. i quickly wash and rinse and get out of the now-cold water. that wasn't exactly relaxing like i had hoped, so i will sit and type. ah, that's better. amen.