Showtime

Let me preface this by saying that in another life I had a job where everything you did was part of a constant process.  Many times you would never see the beginning of something, or stay around long enough to see things come to a conclusion.  Work was a twelve month routine, and at times you would feel like it was Groundhog Day.  Oh how my current career is different.

As a teacher, you work with a group of students for 180 days to achieve goals and make sure they are ready for their next step.  There is a clear beginning and a clear end of your time with those kids.  It is challenging, rewarding and on most days a blast.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not a Pollyanna, and this profession like others has its pitfalls and downsides, but I am not here to discuss the merits of the total profession. 

Tonight, I just want to share something about the excitement that is the first days of school.  First, teachers have been doing things they don't like to just get ready.  That means sitting in meetings.  We have oriented, we hope, our 6th graders so they can get off to a fast start. These are the necessary evils of starting the year.

Today will be different.  We will have the excitement, worry and dread that can come with a new year.  The kids are excited to see their friends, find out who they have classes with, and which teachers they will be stuck with for the year.  The 6th graders are also facing coming to a new school and meeting new kids from other schools and facing an entirely different world.

For me, I see the day through a different lens.  I see it as the start of a journey for me and the kids.  My goal is to get them off to a good start.  This comes from a lifetime where I have been either the new kid at school, or the new man on the job.  I know that starting something new can be a scary thing, so I try to make it less so.

The other exciting thing for me is a get to meet and get to know 80 or so kids in class, and 170+ in all.  It means learning likes and dislike, and finding ways to help them grow and develop as both students and people.

So in 8 hours, it is showtime and I am pumped for a new adventure.  Maybe I should get some sleep.