The 1st day!
Well, I had another routine 1st day of school, which is like House Ethics, an oxymoron. There is nothing routine about the first day of school, especially for a special ed teacher, and even more so for a resource teacher with kids running all over school.
Let me start from the beginning (always a good place to start). I came in Friday to get my class in order, and you should see it. My class actually looks nice! I have nice, colorful; bulletin boards up, and strategically placed posters that are actually straight. For those who don’t know, classroom display and organization has not been an area that I have excelled in the past. We had a workshop on classroom organization on Friday, which we meant we actually got paid to work on our class setup. I asked for help (a big step), and received it. Afterwards we had a tour of our classes, and the Chavez veteran’s were amazed. They told the new teachers “You have to understand that for what a feat this is for Holtebeck.” Even my kids thought I had moved rooms, because it couldn’t be my room. However, this year I’ve decided that my focus of improvement will be organization.
I also had a minor problem today. I had no idea where my kids were. I was told going into the school year that I would have kids in two families, and only work with four teachers. I knew this wasn’t actually going to happen, nor did I really want it to happen (I call it divide and conquer. I prefer to spread out the RSP kids, and thus limiting their damage). I also knew I was in trouble, because their class list accounted for 12 of my 28 kids. My actual case load included 1 kid who moved to San Ramon in December, and another who was placed in the SDC class, but should have been placed in the ED class (got to love HUSD).
My day started late. I actually had to park my car about a block from school, because the traffic was so bad getting to school. I left for school after 7:30, when I know full well that put me in the teeth of monster traffic. If I left 5 minutes earlier I would have waltz easily into school at 7:40 (I should know better, but I’m out of practice).
My Para, who is awesome, was waiting for me, wanting to know exactly what classes she was going to work in (good question). We then spent first period going to different 8th grade teachers, and making copies of their roll sheets.
It was about that time that my new principal found me, and said-not asked- that I was going to cover a class in the morning. In her defense, she had worked with me before and knew I would say yes if it was important (and it was). I finished what I was doing, and was going to walk to the class that I was supposed to cover, but found a lost student who needed direction. I took him to his new class (it is amazing how much calmer kids get when you actually walk with them to their classes when they are lost). I then got to the class I needed to cover.
The original teacher for this class changed jobs on Friday, which left us up the creek (we actually have two vacancies at Chavez). I come in to the class and relieve the Assit. Principal (new name, same job) who was telling new 7th graders about Chavez. New 7th graders are so cute! They have absolutely no idea what is going on, and have heard certain things from siblings. Just looking at the eyes of the 7th graders on the very first period in Middle School is priceless. I would imagine the commanders get the same sight with fresh recruits just out of boot camp. It becomes even more priceless when I ask a particularly rambunctious kid his name, and realize that he is the brother of a former student. I think it is sign that I’ve been at school too long!
I expected to teach these kids for 1st and 3rd period, but I had nothing planned for them to do when I walked in the class. I felt like the fill guy for radio show, with the producer telling me to stretch out my material. I worked the room for 40 minutes, and was running thin on material. I actually had one student say “Are we going to do any math today, or just talk.” I used an unfamiliar strategy with the kids, honesty, and it worked. I told them I wasn’t planning on teaching them, so wasn’t prepared, but I would prepare something 2nd period so they would get something to do academically. These kids will never forget their very first period in secondary school.
The sub came in the middle of 2nd period, so I didn’t need to stretch material out in 3rd period. By the middle of 2nd period I began to get a picture of where my students were (does the word spread to hell mean anything). My Para and I began to plan schedules for our students, and I tried to figure out how to climb the mountain. At least by the end of 2nd period I had realized where the mountain was, and had an idea how to get there. I still had no idea how high, or how I was going to actually start to climb it.
I went to my inner sanctum, my clean room (for now), and began to compile a list of students that I knew were actually on campus, and what their schedules were. After I did that I began to locate students who I had seen, but didn’t know their schedules, and students who I knew schedules, but hadn’t actually seen. All told I have 28 kids on my case load, with 23 of them actually on campus. I have 3 MIA’s. One is rumored to have gone to another middle school, but not enrolled there. I saw one walking outside of school on Friday, but he wasn’t there today, and I was told that he was enrolling at Castro Valley High (make no sense to me). The other was just missing, and nobody know if he moved, or just absent. The other 2 were the one who moved, and the SDC/ED child.
I also had two students on campus who were not on my caseload, but had IEPs, and one of the 25 students was a 7th grader who was on my case load because he was retained, and it didn’t get rectified in time. Since Gwen doesn’t have room, and I do, he will remain with me. Ok, that didn’t confuse you, did it?
While I was coming back from getting my lunch I saw one of my students crossing the street right in front of my car (I have a new car, so the probably didn’t know it was mine). I’m watching the kid do this right in front of me, and thinking “You can’t be that stupid!”
My day ended with me doing something novel, I actually taught something. Ok, it was after school, but I actually did get to do some real teaching today. One of my students saw me during 6th period and said “Mr. Holtebeck, I need help with my homework.” I told him to come by after school, and he hunted me down after school to come to my room so I could help him (literally hunted me through the school). He actually was more interested in using my computer, and try to convince me to order an Alien vs. Predator action figure (boy there is an eclectic mix in 8th grade), but he did do some math with me.
This is now my 4th first day, and I can honestly say that they have never been a normal first day. The first day of school is like triaging a natural disaster. You care more about results than technique, and assess the damage at the end of the day.
Let me start from the beginning (always a good place to start). I came in Friday to get my class in order, and you should see it. My class actually looks nice! I have nice, colorful; bulletin boards up, and strategically placed posters that are actually straight. For those who don’t know, classroom display and organization has not been an area that I have excelled in the past. We had a workshop on classroom organization on Friday, which we meant we actually got paid to work on our class setup. I asked for help (a big step), and received it. Afterwards we had a tour of our classes, and the Chavez veteran’s were amazed. They told the new teachers “You have to understand that for what a feat this is for Holtebeck.” Even my kids thought I had moved rooms, because it couldn’t be my room. However, this year I’ve decided that my focus of improvement will be organization.
I also had a minor problem today. I had no idea where my kids were. I was told going into the school year that I would have kids in two families, and only work with four teachers. I knew this wasn’t actually going to happen, nor did I really want it to happen (I call it divide and conquer. I prefer to spread out the RSP kids, and thus limiting their damage). I also knew I was in trouble, because their class list accounted for 12 of my 28 kids. My actual case load included 1 kid who moved to San Ramon in December, and another who was placed in the SDC class, but should have been placed in the ED class (got to love HUSD).
My day started late. I actually had to park my car about a block from school, because the traffic was so bad getting to school. I left for school after 7:30, when I know full well that put me in the teeth of monster traffic. If I left 5 minutes earlier I would have waltz easily into school at 7:40 (I should know better, but I’m out of practice).
My Para, who is awesome, was waiting for me, wanting to know exactly what classes she was going to work in (good question). We then spent first period going to different 8th grade teachers, and making copies of their roll sheets.
It was about that time that my new principal found me, and said-not asked- that I was going to cover a class in the morning. In her defense, she had worked with me before and knew I would say yes if it was important (and it was). I finished what I was doing, and was going to walk to the class that I was supposed to cover, but found a lost student who needed direction. I took him to his new class (it is amazing how much calmer kids get when you actually walk with them to their classes when they are lost). I then got to the class I needed to cover.
The original teacher for this class changed jobs on Friday, which left us up the creek (we actually have two vacancies at Chavez). I come in to the class and relieve the Assit. Principal (new name, same job) who was telling new 7th graders about Chavez. New 7th graders are so cute! They have absolutely no idea what is going on, and have heard certain things from siblings. Just looking at the eyes of the 7th graders on the very first period in Middle School is priceless. I would imagine the commanders get the same sight with fresh recruits just out of boot camp. It becomes even more priceless when I ask a particularly rambunctious kid his name, and realize that he is the brother of a former student. I think it is sign that I’ve been at school too long!
I expected to teach these kids for 1st and 3rd period, but I had nothing planned for them to do when I walked in the class. I felt like the fill guy for radio show, with the producer telling me to stretch out my material. I worked the room for 40 minutes, and was running thin on material. I actually had one student say “Are we going to do any math today, or just talk.” I used an unfamiliar strategy with the kids, honesty, and it worked. I told them I wasn’t planning on teaching them, so wasn’t prepared, but I would prepare something 2nd period so they would get something to do academically. These kids will never forget their very first period in secondary school.
The sub came in the middle of 2nd period, so I didn’t need to stretch material out in 3rd period. By the middle of 2nd period I began to get a picture of where my students were (does the word spread to hell mean anything). My Para and I began to plan schedules for our students, and I tried to figure out how to climb the mountain. At least by the end of 2nd period I had realized where the mountain was, and had an idea how to get there. I still had no idea how high, or how I was going to actually start to climb it.
I went to my inner sanctum, my clean room (for now), and began to compile a list of students that I knew were actually on campus, and what their schedules were. After I did that I began to locate students who I had seen, but didn’t know their schedules, and students who I knew schedules, but hadn’t actually seen. All told I have 28 kids on my case load, with 23 of them actually on campus. I have 3 MIA’s. One is rumored to have gone to another middle school, but not enrolled there. I saw one walking outside of school on Friday, but he wasn’t there today, and I was told that he was enrolling at Castro Valley High (make no sense to me). The other was just missing, and nobody know if he moved, or just absent. The other 2 were the one who moved, and the SDC/ED child.
I also had two students on campus who were not on my caseload, but had IEPs, and one of the 25 students was a 7th grader who was on my case load because he was retained, and it didn’t get rectified in time. Since Gwen doesn’t have room, and I do, he will remain with me. Ok, that didn’t confuse you, did it?
While I was coming back from getting my lunch I saw one of my students crossing the street right in front of my car (I have a new car, so the probably didn’t know it was mine). I’m watching the kid do this right in front of me, and thinking “You can’t be that stupid!”
My day ended with me doing something novel, I actually taught something. Ok, it was after school, but I actually did get to do some real teaching today. One of my students saw me during 6th period and said “Mr. Holtebeck, I need help with my homework.” I told him to come by after school, and he hunted me down after school to come to my room so I could help him (literally hunted me through the school). He actually was more interested in using my computer, and try to convince me to order an Alien vs. Predator action figure (boy there is an eclectic mix in 8th grade), but he did do some math with me.
This is now my 4th first day, and I can honestly say that they have never been a normal first day. The first day of school is like triaging a natural disaster. You care more about results than technique, and assess the damage at the end of the day.
posted by Mark Holtebeck @ 9:48 PM
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