Here we are. In two weeks a new group of first graders will be walking into room 28. Some will be excited for the year ahead, some will be shy and timid as they drop off their school supplies and look with wide eyes around their new classroom. Many will be anxious, nervous, and maybe even a little bit scared of the unknown.
Can I let you in on a secret? I will be too. All of it. Every year I go through it with my students. The sleepless night before the first day of school is the worst. While the first graders are worried about not knowing their classmates or if they'll know how to unzip their lunchbox, I'm running through lists in my head. Did I plan enough ice breakers? Where did I put my favorite first day of school read aloud book? Will I remember all of their names? Is the room arranged in the best way for learning?
But, you know what? Even with all of the many emotions that come with these first days of school, I still love the beginning of the school year. It is full of exciting promise. In 14 days, I get to welcome new first graders to my life. We will become a family. We will have good days and bad days. We will learn and grow. We will share in each other's successes and we will celebrate each other's failures. (Yup, we will celebrate failure because that's how we learn.) Each morning we will sing our good morning welcome song and we will chant our class mantra "Today will be great! I can and I will!" and we will believe it. Most importantly, we will learn together. No one is an island unto themselves. We will work as a team. Parents, students, and teachers- all learning together.
See you in two weeks!
Can I let you in on a secret? I will be too. All of it. Every year I go through it with my students. The sleepless night before the first day of school is the worst. While the first graders are worried about not knowing their classmates or if they'll know how to unzip their lunchbox, I'm running through lists in my head. Did I plan enough ice breakers? Where did I put my favorite first day of school read aloud book? Will I remember all of their names? Is the room arranged in the best way for learning?
But, you know what? Even with all of the many emotions that come with these first days of school, I still love the beginning of the school year. It is full of exciting promise. In 14 days, I get to welcome new first graders to my life. We will become a family. We will have good days and bad days. We will learn and grow. We will share in each other's successes and we will celebrate each other's failures. (Yup, we will celebrate failure because that's how we learn.) Each morning we will sing our good morning welcome song and we will chant our class mantra "Today will be great! I can and I will!" and we will believe it. Most importantly, we will learn together. No one is an island unto themselves. We will work as a team. Parents, students, and teachers- all learning together.
See you in two weeks!