How to get ready for the first day of first grade.

Summer is over, as far as I'm concerned. I would grieve this sad fact if I were not so busy setting up for the new school year.

Have you civilians ever wondered just what the hell is involved when teachers talk about setting up for the new school year? What is it that we are doing in our classrooms during those "teacher days" the week before the children arrive?  And why are some of us in there the week before the teacher days? I mean, what's the big deal? Don't we do this every year? Why does it take so long?

Well, it takes me so long because I am shockingly inefficient. I'm sure YOU could do it much faster.

I thought it might be fun this year to document the process. Or boring. It will be either fun or boring.

This will be a series of posts, because I want to take you all the way up to the first day of school, which is not for 12 more days. Plus, I have a lot of other things we need to discuss.

So, let's look at what has transpired so far, shall we?

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

This is the week before Teacher Week. Some of us always come in early if we can, while others are still trying to wring out the last golden spasm of summer.

The very first thing I did when I got to school was closet myself in my friend E's room and discuss important, confidential matters. We both have a LOT going on. So, fine, I chit-chatted my first hour away. But after all, I'm not getting paid, so shut the hell up.

 

 I move most of my furniture around by myself, although if someone is handy I will enlist their aid. I have no idea what weakling teachers do, or teachers with back problems.

This first day was kind of soul-crushing, to be honest. I really, really have a problem with cockroaches. I hate the crunch they make when you kill them. I aspire to be like my friend Julie, who was reading a story aloud to a group of 6 year olds during summer school a few weeks ago. When she spied a cockroach out of the corner of her eye, she whipped her hand to the side and killed it with the book she was reading, then continued the story without skipping a beat. I don't think I will ever achieve that level of cool-headed finesse.

Can you find the sign that says No sillybandz at school? Yeah, that's right. The first grade teachers are meeeeeean. Listen, do us a favor and frisk the kids before you send them to school. You have no idea how much trouble those goddamned sillybandz can cause. And for those of you who don't know what sillybandz are, don't worry about it.

I'm kind of impressed with the amount of shit I stuffed in that closet.

Pay attention because I'm schoolin' you here.

I bought that carpet at Lowe's last year because, get this, my old classroom carpet disappeared over the summer. It was yucky and gross, but at least it was something the kids could sit on. I went to the principal, fully expecting her to say that she would find the money to replace it, but she just shrugged and said I would have to go without. Hmmmph. And there went a hundred bucks.

You would think I would put it (and everything else) exactly where I had it last year. Nope. I'm always trying to find the perfect set-up. Every year I tweak it.

 

I can fit 6 kids comfortable at each table. 7, if I have to. They are seldom all at their tables at the same time, because I will usually have a group at my reading/math table. First graders have to work independently at centers for at least a part of every day, because that's the only way a teacher can meet with small groups and differentiate the work to meet the needs of all the students.

That's all I can take on my first soul-crushing day back.

Gotta remember to email the building service manager about those cockroaches.

In our next post:  Favorite Niece Maddy comes in to help,  we put up curtains and cover bulletin boards, and Rosie provides pleasant distraction.

Comments

[the bee]

My back aches just thinking about moving the furniture. Say buenos noches to the classe con roaches. You could come to my office where we deal w/ drama and centipedes and they are adults. Currently we are featuring a young lady whose grandmother has been dying longer than Debra Winger in Terms Of Endearment. Grandma is still alive but drama girl leaves 6 hrs early for the vigil every night- Wanna trade classrooms?

[Margaret]

I thought the same thing when I went in and all the desks, chairs,etc... were piled on top of one another on one side of the room. I have a couple of scrapes and bruises to prove that I worked hard to set up the class! (my back hurts) I actually called my 82 year old dad to come up to help me though because they had put my mini-fridge on the top of my desk, which they had moved to the other side of the room. That just undid me.

[Margaret]

But no cockroaches in WA at least. :)

[Cazza]

Come work in australia!!!!!! You can't lift a pencil without a certificate in manual handling.

[Debra]

I retired from public school teaching in June after 30 years. I was feeling a little down about not going back to the classroom.
All I can say is thanks.....I feel so much better now.

[Swistle]

As the daughter of an elementary-school teacher and the mother of first-grade twins, I am GREATLY ENJOYING THIS.

[Anne]

Is there a lot more stuff going on in first grade than there was, say, 40 years ago? There seems to be a lot more stuff, generally. Okay, being 55, with no kids and not a teacher, I'm a wee bit out of the loop.

I admire teachers, A LOT. Even with all the work, it must be a bit exciting at the beginning of each year to get to know all the little personalities.

I will say, though, that having to look at solid, primary colors all day would drive me crazy. Poor thing! Are there no other options?

[maddy]

Hey, I loved your instructional blog entry! I really enjoy kids, but not sure if I could ever handle all those little ones as a job. I do think those kids are so lucky to have you...and I really mean that and am not just sucking up.

[Karenth]

Looks just like the rooms here did last week. But YESTERDAY, they were cheerful and inviting, as were their teachers. You people are wonderful, Mary.

Our 6 yr. old grandson pronounced yesterday's first day of first grade, and I quote: IT WAS PERFECT!!!

Keep sharing this stream, Mary!

[Marcie]

Saw a tip for killing cockroaches. Fill a bucket halfway with cheap wine. The cockroaches drink, get drunk and fall in. Don't know if it works. So school appropriate!
might draw all of them to your room though. Maybe stick it in the office. :)

[Tessie]

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.

[liz]

My son is heading to first grade this year. I am really, really sad about it, and that was before the picture of the cockroaches. On the plus side, I love his teacher, and she does cartwheels periodically down the aisles for good spelling grades. He's quite excited about this.

[Pam L]

Well, you just set the bar a little high there Liz! Mary, cartwheels?

[kris (lower case)]

my son had a joy sucking teacher for first grade. it was depressing to watch a kid who liked school slowly turn into a kid who doesn't like school. that should have been my first clue to get him out of that school. but 2nd and 3rd grade were better. now 4th and 5th kind of sucked and we are thru with that school and moving on. hopefully he will have a good teacher for 6th grade. you are no joy sucker eyou won't let them wear silly bandz or whatever they are called.

[Karen Hayward]

I love your teaching posts! I don't know what cazza does for a living, but this Australian teacher does plenty of furniture moving. No rules about lifting for us. I am envious of your shiny floor and built in cupboards! And a guided reading table! My students have to sit on the floor while I sit on a child's chair. We have a lovely blackboard though. :) I can relate to the plastic container supply - there's never enough.

[Boo]

I'm not a teacher nor do I have young kids but I really enjoyed the post and am looking forward to more! I have to say though, when I saw the picture of the furniture my first though was "POLTERGEISTS!" and then "You have a lousy cleaning staff, they just leave the stuff all catty wompus". I think I might rearrange stuff every year too if I were a teacher, it just seems like a good thing to do.

[MsCellania]

And once again, I bow at your teaching altar.