First two weeks I was in survival mode. I fought through the days with a strong confidence on the outside, but the second the bell rang and the kids were out the door, my eyes gave way to tears.
I would not go as far as to say things have gotten easier, but every day has been different. I have managed to get in somewhat of a routine. Alarm goes off at 5:00am every morning, head straight to the coffee pot and then proceed to transform my image into this new teacher look I've got going on: J. Crew outfits dominate my closet, Nike shorts and T-shirts are reserved for the second I walk back in the door.
6:10am-6:40am
Commuting via carpool to school with my wonderful colleagues.
6:40am-7:30am
Consists of mainly coaxing the copy machine to work, conversations with my stapler, singing aloud to my favorite wake-up songs in my room as I prepare to face the day etc.
7:30am-8:30am
My first student, same one every day, walks in at 7:30am on the dot. I love this little boy, he cannot sit still...whether army crawling on the floor, bouncing up and down in his chair, or dancing between the desks I am convinced this muffin has ants in pants. My homeroom class has quickly become my little family. They eat breakfast (a delicious Title 1 meal with absolutely zero nutrition such as pizza or corn dogs) in my room then spend a half an hour practicing reading. Currently, I read to them a few days a week out of "James and the Giant Peach" by Ronald Dhal. I take my place in the reading chair while my children gather around me like my baby ducklings. They love when I read to them and especially when I read in accents, "Oooo Miss Pitts, how you do that?! You sound like you from English."
8:35am-9:45am
First period class consists of my homeroom plus about 10 more kids who file in. My students are grouped by standardized test scores and this class is my lowest performing. They are all on a 3rd grade reading level, some even lower. I have noticed I show significantly more joy and energy in this class...haven't yet figured out how to pace myself.
9:50am-11:00am
Second period class is nuts. There are so many of them, I just do not know how to make them stop talking. Its literally like mosquitos buzzing in my ear for 70 mins. I may resort to lighting some citronella candles in there.
11:00am-11:30am
6th grade lunch in the cafeteria aka CHAOS. This is when I put on my serious teacher face, stand in a corner of the cafeteria, and hover around my daily lunch detention crew. They sit there eating their lunch in silence until eventually I sit down with them and torture them with questions:
Ms Pitts: "What good does it do to tell Javonte his mama is ugly? You do not even know his mom and he does not know yours."
Student: "But Ms. Pitts, nobody talks about my mama!"
Ms. Pitts: "He does not even know your mama, so why do you let it bother you? And why are you looking at me like you just sucked on a lemon?"
Student: "Ugh. Ms. Pitts I ain't doing that. I didn't do anything."
Ms. Pitts: "Go look at yourself in the mirror and I want to see you smile tomorrow."
11:30am-12:45pm
My planning period/my little time of serenity and sanity! Most days I just sit behind my desk, turn on Josh Garrels, eat lunch and pray for my kids until I am ready to actually be productive again.
12:50pm-2:00pm
Fifth period is my "highest" achieving class, therefore their behavior is probably the best. As far as I can tell they appear to actually be learning, but there are some relationships kindling between some of the boys and girls...lets just say the notes I pick up make me laugh. So romantic.
2:05pm-3:15pm
I mentally prepare for Sixth period like preparing for battle..."Breathe Jennie, just breathe." Walk in to my class in this time period and I can promise you, as your jaw drops from the chaos and you plug your ears to muffle the noise level, you will walk out with a story. The second they enter the room quickly transforms into a jungle of all kinds of monkeys from gorillas to chimpanzees and spider monkeys. Please someone send me a taser or some form of behavior management weapon...these kids are crazy.
Aside from the two fist fights I broke up in that class, we are slowly building our relationship and I am working my way through this challenge with a stern face. I am determined to reach these kids...one by one, they WILL behave, they WILL learn and they WILL respect.
3:30pm
The teacher across the hallway has a little boy in kindergarten...every day when the clock strikes half past 3:00pm, my little sunshine runs in my door and bounds and leaps in my lap. Every day, he is my day maker. For all you single gentlemen out there, I would recommend taking some lessons from a 5 year old, hes officially conquered my heart...
Although school is over at 3:15pm every day, somehow I do not usually return home until around 5:30pm. The second sixth period is over, I take a deep breath, clean up my room, organize my papers and spend some time gathering myself for the next day.
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not recieve the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." –Luke 18:15-17
All through out the day, little heads constantly pop in and out of my door in passing just to say hello. Little do they know each small voice feeds whatever it is within me that keeps me going. Even though I do not know what I am doing most days, I deeply care about my students. I truly believe all things work by good design for those who believe.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." –Colossians 3:23
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