Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/556394
R E M E M B E R Y O U R F I R S T D A Y O F S C H O O L ? To a youngster it meant back-to-school clothes, hoping for a nice teacher, and looking forward to seeing old friends. After weeks of summer vacation, returning to school was something to look forward to. For educators, the first day of school can also be exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking, even for seasoned profession- als. Along with a crop of new students, there often can be new curriculum, new standards, or sometimes a new administrator with a different way of doing things. You may face new technology, be assigned to teach a different grade level — or even (gulp) a combination grade classroom. To help prepare you for the big day, we've asked a few CTA members to complete the sentence: "What I wish I'd known my first day of school is…" You may have heard some of this sage advice before, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded. Gayle Young N O R T H WO O D E L E M E N TA RY S C H O O L K-1 teacher / 24 years Napa Valley Educators Association • Be really flexible, because you never know what will happen. Sometimes you need to stop, change your direc- tion, and just go with the flow. • How attached I would get to these kids. They become like your own when you see them every day from 8 to 3. It's not just about education. They leave footprints on your heart. • Stock your classroom with Airborne (a teacher-created supplement to pre- vent colds) and lots of Kleenex. You'll catch every cold that comes by until you have immunity. • Parents are just as nervous as you are when you first meet them, and they also worry about being judged. What I wish I'd known my first day of school Compiled by Sherry Posnick-Goodwin Photography by Scott Buschman 20 cta.org Perspectives Words of wisdom