The First Week of School
(Originally posted August 2015)
First week: complete! This week we started with a “Meet and Greet Monday” when parents came into meet the teacher, see the classroom and drop off supplies. Tuesday was a half-day and the rest of the week was full school days. As the first week of school always is, it was exhilarating and exhausting.
Students eased into their week on Monday with a time to drop off their supplies in their classroom. Their supply drops were a big larger ordeal than I anticipated. I had envisioned students with backpacks coming into the classroom and unloading in less than thirty seconds. Nope. They arrived with roller board suitcases, enormous Tupperware bins or cardboard boxes with the assistance of their parents. Each child’s supplies were meticulously labeled with Sharpie or printed labels with his or her full name; each pencil, ruler and glue stick. Then, supplies were sorted into Spanish or English or grouped together for later or community use. On this day, I met many of the mothers, although some students also came with fathers, aunts and siblings. Each parent welcomed me to theschool with a hug and kiss on the check. They asked how I was settling into the new city and offered their assistance if I need anything inside or outside of school.
The real show began on Tuesday when the students returned to the room for the first day of school. Although it was only a half-day, it felt longer as I started establishing routines while simultaneously figuring out how things would run in my new classroom. My new students are very sweet and very talkative. Upon entering the first day, I was greeted with hugs and check kisses. One student even gifted me a box of cookies from the fancy pastry shop down the street. Most of my students are from Mexico or Mexican American but I also havea student from Colombia and a trilingual young lady from Poland. Most of the boys are way into soccer and the girls are interested gymnastics, reading, piano and horseback riding (one gal even has several horses that she rides daily). Many of them have been attending ASFG since they were entering school. They knew each other and each other’s families very well. I’ve noticed them support each other in learning with explaining how to solve math or being patient with their individual differences.
Wednesday started full days of school. Our class schedule begins at 8:00 with 75 minutes of homeroom and math in English. Then the students go to music, library, science lab, art, PE or swimming for 45 minutes. During this time I meet with my team or prepare for the rest of the week. Then, I pick up the kids and supervise their ten-minute break. While the Spanish teacher is instructing (just under two hours), I have additional prep time. The students have thirty minutes for lunch and recess but they mostly snack, chat and play soccer since they’lleat a full meal after school. I do have lunch duty every third day, which so far I’ve had to ask the kids what to do and where to go. After eight years at one school, I’m learning the ropes all over again. In the afternoon, I have the students for two full hours for reading and writing in English. Students are dismissed at 2:30 right from the classroom. Some go to after school sports or activities. Others are picked up by their families or chauffeurs. I’m usually done around 3:00, except once a week when our team meets until 4:00 on bigger planning sessions.
We have a lot of material to cover in a relatively small amount of teaching time. The team works well together to plan out assessments and units. Overall we have freedom in our teaching here which can feel almost overwhelming with all the possibilities. Everyone in the school has been supportive of the newbies with asking how we’re doing and really, truly making sure we’re feeling comfortable and informed. As I return to plans for week two, I am excited to continue to get to know the students better and really dive into teaching more academics.