Skip to main content

First Day of School


My day began
In search of a computer
Needing to print the day’s activities
Slow machines
Not letting me in
Change of plans

Students begin to arrive
Excited about their choice of seat
Migrating to the back row
Wondering about the new teacher.
I ask their names
Hoping to keep them in my head
They go wafting out like smoke from a chimney

Class begins
Reviewing the rule book
I call on him to read
He refuses
A battle of the wills
Refusing to engage
I let it go
Later I learn he could not read it
7th grade English inclusion class
Put on the spot
Embarrassed
Cringing about how I made him feel
Determined to apologize tomorrow
Hoping to keep the rapport.

All students like games!
Not when they need to hold hands
Self-conscious
Refusing to take the risk
My work cut out for me.
Loathing of the subject matter
Convinced they are not readers and writers
Embracing the challenge
Ideas begin to bounce around in my head
Knowing I can change their minds.

The Advanced Class saunters in
Taking their seats
Chatting as I take attendance
Reviewing the rules
They continue to chat.
Going around the room I ask their favorite subject
Math
Art
Science
History
Lunch
Gym
The lack of “Language Arts” is deafening
Turned off to reading
Dreading writing
Confidently I tell them,
“No worries! Soon you will be anticipating 2nd block.”
“Is this Language Arts, ma’am?”
Welcoming them in
Smile on my face
Talking music while we wait
“You know who ICP is?” he asked dumbfounded.
“I play the guitar and drums.”
Declining an invitation to play for the class.
Finally, they all arrive.
Introductions are made
Lunch interrupts our fun.
Assigned tables await – if only we could find them
Three seat changes later
Pizza, tacos, and other sustenance is ignored
In favor of socialization
Back in class
The games resume
Willing to hold hands
They step up to the challenge.
A leader emerges
Reputation sullying her
Meeting the challenge
Victorious in her quest.
Back in their seats
Repeating the question,
“What is your favorite subject?”
Once again, Language Arts is not heard.
I tell them to get ready
Soon it will be one of the best.
“I think I am going to like this class.”
Could be heard as they walked out the door.

Classes over,
A smile on my face from the day’s success
Seventeen years later
Time to go to officially change my name
It is done.
In the eyes of the US of A
I am now MANDIE ALLISON ROBERTSON-VICTOR.
The certification process begins.
Now the wait for more forms to be signed.
Heading home.
Smiling.
Loving everything the first day of school brings.

Comments

  1. Oh, it sounds like a fabulous start!! And I think I would love being in your class. It's a really neat thing to be able to pass on a love of reading to someone! :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Aging sucks.....or does it?

Upon first thought, watching a parent age sucks. Unnoticeable at first. A bit of a stoop, some creaking in the knees, whitening of the hair. The doctor’s visits begin, as do the pills One for high blood pressure, another to thin the blood, and a handful of vitamins to top it off. The signs are there, but it is easier to see him as he has always been. My father, a pillar of strength. Until my pillar was knocked off-kilter. A simple surgery and the mortality of my father looked me square in the eye when the drugs took hold of his brain. Amidst his fidgeting and confusion, I realized…AGING SUCKS! And then….enlightenment dawned upon me….AGING IS BEAUTIFUL Wrinkles tell of smiles while silver hair speaks a life of memories. Knees creaky after years of kneeling in prayer, offering up a lap, and climbing up the stairs for one more kiss goodnight. Almost forty-eight years of memories nestled in my heart. Memories of my father. Taking us to church each Sunday Building and fixing ...

The Challenge of Five

Living alone is easy. Add one more person to the equation and it becomes a bit more challenging – especially when that person is a 13 year old. But in time, we figured it out. Somewhere in there, Beatrice joined us. With Thanksgiving came the joy of the five of us together for the week. And then reality set in as Tony and Sana began their trek back to New Hampshire. Our household of two was now a household of three as Sean made himself a home with us.   For the first five years of Sean’s life it was just he and I. How difficult could it be to have my 22-year-old son living with me again? A mother couldn’t ask for a better son. He is loving, kind, intelligent, and hard-working. He has grown into a fine young man who has lived on his own for the past three years. He has his own way of doing things.   I have my way of doing things. Needless to say, the two clash a bit. I tend to go with the flow and do things (supper, adventures, etc) as the mood strikes. He likes to plan eve...

I Got the Call!

I began the day a bit down in the dumps. (As is very evident from the earlier blog entry of the day.) I was missing my family. Wondering about the risk we took. Uncertain how it would all work out. My brother, Jamie, insisted that Patti and I join his family for a Braves game. He bought us $1 tickets and told us to get to Turner Field. The great thing about Atlanta Braves games on a hot Sunday afternoon is that the turn-out is not very good. We followed Jamie toward his seats on the third base line and sat in a couple of empty ones about 20 rows back. By the end of the game, I was in the first row! Apparently it was too hot for many of the fans. The Braves trounced the Dodgers, 13-1. (Newly added to my bucket list: get to as many of the major league baseball parks as possible. I have been to three this summer alone!) Upon returning ‘home’ I decided to check out the possibility of more jobs. Curiosity led me to Manchester’s website. (Manchester is about 30 minutes away from whe...