Monday, January 19, 2009

New Term

The new term begins tomorrow. I'll have all new students, and that is always nerve wracking. On the first day I always get the panicky feeling that I'll never learn all of their names, but I generally have the names and faces matched by day three.

I also worry that each student won't get the individual attention he/she needs. My eldest child was one of those who tended to blend into the woodwork, and I think that makes me especially aware of those kids.

When the kids come in tomorrow, the early arrivals will fill the back row, unless, of course, the word has spread. Once everyone is seated, I make the two back rows move to the front, and everyone else moves back a seat. I wind up with jocks/skaters/sleepers in front, and eager hand raisers in the back and middle. We'll work from there.

Some terms I never get the seating mix just right. That usually happens when there are not enough front row seats for all the "front row" kiddos. Those are the "blurters" (those who believe that every thought that comes into the mind must exit the mouth...), the "social butterflies" ("Just let me finish telling him/her this ONE thing. It's IMPORTANT!!"), and the "organizationally challenged" ("Oh, I know it's not in your backpack-but just take one more look. Humor me. Huh. There it is...").

1 comment:

Denney Crane said...

Create an email account somewhere so I can give you a shout... I'm having a contest and you're not on my blogger's list.