I am starting this blog the night before I begin my second year of teaching.  I will be teaching 6th grade Language Arts and 8th grade US History at a new school in a new district.  Tomorrow.

I was trying to remember my first day of school last year, but it’s mostly a blur.  I dressed up and tried to look professional and stern.  I showed a PowerPoint presentation about the school behavior policy in which I spelled the principal’s name wrong.  A brave student politely corrected me just minutes before Mr. Eastman (I mean Easton!) poked his head in my door, presumably to make sure I wasn’t crying in a corner.

I told the students about myself and I learned about them when they made timelines of their 13-year lives.  I grew to love those kiddos so much and I miss my first group of 8th graders.  I truly hope that they all have a wonderful freshman year as I move on to another crew of fidgety, awkward, amazing middle school students.

Everyone keeps asking me if I’m ready for tomorrow.  I’m not.  My computer isn’t set up, I don’t have a functioning printer, I haven’t made friends with the new copy machine yet.  But I can’t wait to meet my new students.  We will be flexible and patient and begin to learn about each other.  I will try to be stern like I always do, but I’m sure I’ll break into a grin as soon as I see their round, nervous faces.

I wonder if they are as excited as I am…