Day 2: Wednesday

Yesterday I left school feeling exhausted, parched, and, I'd be lying if I didn't say, a little intimidated (or really intimidated). Today however, I left feeling really good about the day and about the rest of the semester. At one point I wrote in my notes, while observing my coop introduce the activity for the sophomores, "Yay! The sophomores are listening and engaged! Yay! The sophomores are WORKING!!" Perhaps I misjudged my sophomores. (This probably won't be the first time.) Today they proved to me that they are capable of listening and working. I'm excited to start working with them. It's fun to watch their personalities surface.

As a homework assignment yesterday, each class was assigned to write my CT and me a letter introducing themselves and explaining what it is that they would like to get out of the semester/year. Tonight on my commute home I was able to read some of the letters that they wrote. They were hilarious, creative, and encouraging. Across grade levels, many students wrote about their long terms goals to go to certain colleges or pursue a certain career path. Still more expressed their desire to do well in class, complete all homework and reading assignments on time, and make the honor roll.

One student wrote, "one thing I can't stand is to do nothing because I have a tendency to talk." Bingo! As I start thinking about my own preparation for instruction, I continue to come back to a a core belief that I have had since I've started studying education, i.e. to keep students engaged at all times and to plan out every single minute that they are in my classroom. My CT uses Bellwork at the start of class. I love the idea of Bellwork. I think it prepares students, both mentally and physically, to start thinking and interacting appropriately during instructional time.

My biggest concern at this point is now the seventh and eighth grade class. We've been getting more students than we thought were coming just during the first two days. We now have 38 students in that class. One girl came in at the end of the period and because we didn't have enough desks, she had to sit at my desk.