Knowledge is Power

The concept of me being an actual classroom teacher is still sinking in. In less than 2 months I will be planning daily lessons, grading homeworks and designing tests, assigning group work and projects, meeting with parents, other teachers, and my principal, staying after school with misbehaved children, and trying to maintain some level of order in a room full of 12 AND 13 YEAR-OLDS.

Breathe, breathe, breathe. To better equip myself for this very exciting and equally as daunting "next step", I did what my sister and I do best- checked out a plethora of books from my local library. I now have in my possession some of the quintessential teaching books on the market: The Essential Conversation, Discipline with Dignity, The First Days of School, and Waging Peace In Our Schools. I really enjoy reading these texts; they give me great ideas and inspire me to begin my work in the classroom.

I have read through The First Days of School a few times, but I want some very practical, concrete pointers for the first day of school. My advantage is that I have 7th graders in a 7th and 8th grade middle school. Because they are new to the school, they won't necessarily know that I am also new. That said, if any of you out there are teachers, feel free to pass on some words of wisdom to this rookie...