First Day of School!

And I'm ready to roll! To curb my anxiety, I remind myself... this is the day all of my hard work and determination will pay off. I'm going to float with students! Chaos, confusion, fear... all the feelings my students will be experiencing and it's my job to lead. With grace and dignity.

So, when I answered a colleague's question of whether I had taught Drama before with "no".... I have to remind myself: YES I have! What was I thinking? Drama is part of the English classroom. I've also taught Arts and Humanities for years. Drama was a huge component of that curriculum. Finally... I'm the story-teller teacher. Drama is nothing more than produced story-telling. I've got this!

And weird... today marks my twenty year anniversary of the first time I walked into a public school classroom. Twenty years ago? Doesn't seem possible, but it's true. This will mark my ninth year of public school teaching over the course of twenty years. In between, I've been a professor of English, a writing instructor for workshops and a long-term sub. Teaching is like breathing at this point. I just need to remember to launch on my stories and all will be well.

Of course, I overly prepared. If I move through my first unit in the time I've allotted, it will be a miracle. I practice dynamic teaching. Not everything is set in stone (well, it is on the long-range plan document I was asked to submit), but I know what every experienced teacher knows. Learn your kids' interests and levels and work from there. Even last night, I was jotting down notes and ideas for today's lessons. What do I love to do more than anything else? Research, write, create lessons and implement them. So, reminding myself to not get ahead of myself is key.

Focus on the task. Stay in the moment. Enjoy the ride. What a long, strange trip it's been. I'm just so grateful I got here. Today! Today! First Day of School: hooray!