The first days of school

What do you remember about your first days of school?

As a student:  walking into classrooms that were unfamiliar, meeting teachers for the first time, getting syllabus after syllabus and learning what was to be done for the year.  Catching up with friends that you had lost contact with over the summer and getting back into the clubs and activities that didn't occupy your time while you were lazy during those long summer months.

As a teacher:  all of the prep time it took to get to that first day of school.  Meeting all the new students, trying to remember a TON of names and faces only to have to ask them again the next day.  (or the next minute) and worrying about where your resources were going to come from.

Before

After, from the front, my desk & student help area to the left

As a teacher in Alaska:  The first day; I only have 5 students so far?  Really!?  The other two are due to show up a little later but then I'll only have 7!   Wait, all the subjects?  Oh boy, that's a TON of prep time ahead of me.  Math, they are all in different levels, 2 History levels too?  Wait, Science, 2 of them as well?  How many standards, strands, etc?  How do I know when they are proficient?  Signing on the first time on the first day and the internet is down (quick email *which still worked oddly due to the bug) which was back up quickly.  Profile sheets for every subject.  Literature books too?  Oh gosh, I'm overwhelmed.  Thank goodness there was technology and Physical education.

Science area, books are now off desks because kids are here.

Technology.  I got this one in the bag.  Thank you WOU.  Oh ya, forgot one little part, I had not used a SMARTboard in 3 years.  Guess what, when a student tells you that "you can circle and tap to erase" you feel pretty dumb.  Yes, you can and it works really well if you can reach the top of the board.  It was hung for the last teacher who was nice and tall.  I have a great yard stick that has no metal points that I use for the top of the board and I basically write on the bottom 2/3rd's.  It's all good though and they were excited with what else I showed them the rest of the day.  Plus, when I introduced them to their MacBooks, showed them Photo Booth and then remotely accessed one of them to put onto the board while they were playing they figured out that I can see everything they do at any moment.  Oh honest statement;  "Oh!  That will keep me from doing a ton of stuff then!"

My books for all the different levels the kids are in, not even all of them

Physical Education.  A no brainer.  I've been doing this for years.  A year of student teaching and 3 years of teaching.  Nothing more than a band-aid needed.  Well, that streak is out the window!  What happens today?  The second day of school?  A great big broken arm.  Both bones in the right forearm, visible deformity and one trooper of a kid.  You get to be flown out of town for something like that.  He was awesome about it and is doing well at the last update.







The kids called me "Bone Breaker" for the rest of the day and continued to make me feel like a heel with comments all in good nature.  Time for science, better put those goggles on, don't wanna put out an eye, you know what happened in PE today.

It's all good, I just feel terrible.

On the upside, the class is up and going and seems to be doing well.

Getting ready...'cause they're a commin'

Oh my goodness.  I don't even know where to start.  It has been quite the busy past few days.  Arriving in Egegik, meeting the new "family", seeing my classroom for the first time, seeing my apt. for the first time, putting my apartment together and diving into what will be my life for the next nine months.

Flying in during some low clouds is interesting.  The pilot has to get a "special" to fly because it's not ideal weather.  It's common, don't worry.  We made it just fine obviously.  I could see most of the time from the co-pilot seat!  I didn't see any big wildlife though I did see some cranes on the many lakes we passed over. Being only 400 feet in the air allows for some great sight seeing while flying.  We drop down into Egegik and land on a gravel runway, hop out, grab our gear and off the pilot goes.  Well, there we are.  April calls her boys and we wait the five minutes while they come from town to the airstrip to get us.  Then we head to the incinerator for garbage drop-off.  Yep, they burn it all then bury it in the landfill so it doesn't attract bears.

I've had some great dinners with April's family (the other teacher).  Her hubby, Hoss, is a good cook and they are very welcoming.  The smoked Salmon was fantastic, I can't believe I was so lucky to get salmon and corn on the cob my first night here.  So yummy!  They also had the smoker going and showed me how it worked.  Quite the set up and I got some fresh out of the smoker the next day.  Super yummy!  Eric, I don't know that your salmon collars will be quite so safe anymore!  Though, I bet I bring home better!

I've learned that if you lead, the goat will follow and it's quite amazing how big her belly will get after about an hour of eating.  If you stick your face into the wind, the bugs don't mess with you as much (or at least you don't feel it).  I've also learned that I know how to crack a bull whip. *the first time I cracked it, it actually cracked.....on my shoulder.    OUCH!   But, after watching others attempt and listening to how it was supposed to be done, I did it.  It was awesome!  I must be a natural.  <<(brushes dust of her shoulders)>>

I've also learned how much I really do love my SMARTBoard again.  I missed having that thing.  This one is great.  Speakers and the projector all built into one.  I think they mounted it with tall people in mind though.  I can't reach the top so my non-metal tipped yard stick is quite the handy tool!  It will be so nice to be able to teach the kids how to use the new Mac laptops on it and will be great for presentations and everything I have learned with my degree.  I can't wait.  Now to order the right cord from Apple for the iPad2.  I guess I should get on that huh?

My classroom is coming together nicely.  Curriculum support was here today, principal will be here tomorrow and for the first day of school on Wednesday.  I'm a little nervous with so many people around, I'd like to just start off and have them come around once I've settled in but I'm also glad they are around.  Makes it feel like it's a little bigger school.  I should probably pop over into the gym tomorrow since I haven't even been in there yet.

I like watching the dogs run along side their owners cars/4-wheelers in town though when I'm told there are dogs w/out a home it saddens me.  I know I can't have or adopt one because that would mean taking one home with me in the summer time and I just can't do that but my heart goes out to them.  Plus, I miss my puppies.  That makes it harder to watch the one I've seen roam.

All is well, I'm waiting for a few more packages and my big black duffel to show up.  It will be a good day when everything is here and I don't have to worry about it being hung up in some locker waiting to go out on a plane to get here.

Anyhow, I'll get some before and after pictures up tomorrow when the room is ready for the kids.  I hope you all know I'm not neglecting you, I'm just super busy!