Everybody knows...
Everybody knows the first day is always the hardest. Not only do you have to go somewhere new, meet new people and try to get organized, but you're likely to have to do all of this on no sleep. I may have slept a total of four hours of sleep last night. If that.
Everybody knows when things get hectic, sleep is the first thing to go, whether you're up doing work or just up thinking. It's the second one that always gets me. It's the unanswered questions running a marathon through my head that keep me awak. Lately I've been worried about teaching. I'll be teaching Comp. 1101 FFF and QQQ. Pat Miller first assigned section FFF to me, and I thought that was poetically fitting. An F for me, and F for the students and an F for the entire process. Everybody knows the first time teaching is at best, a hair better than a total bust. I worry if they'll like me. Do I want them to like me? Am I even smart enough to teach them? You have to be quick witted to teach... I panic easily. Eventually the harder questions break down into the less serious questions. What if I have stuff in my teeth and no one tells me? Do other people panic like this?
Luckily for me, most of my friends have been teaching for a few years and have pleanty of techniques for dealing with the butterflies. One friend told me that my fears were unfounded--I had to remember that my students would probably be even more nervous than I was. I was just teaching them. They'll be in new schools, probably won't know anyone, and are low on the totem pole. They're willing to believe anything I tell them, Christy assures me regularly. Everybody knows I have the best friends.
Everybody knows when things get hectic, sleep is the first thing to go, whether you're up doing work or just up thinking. It's the second one that always gets me. It's the unanswered questions running a marathon through my head that keep me awak. Lately I've been worried about teaching. I'll be teaching Comp. 1101 FFF and QQQ. Pat Miller first assigned section FFF to me, and I thought that was poetically fitting. An F for me, and F for the students and an F for the entire process. Everybody knows the first time teaching is at best, a hair better than a total bust. I worry if they'll like me. Do I want them to like me? Am I even smart enough to teach them? You have to be quick witted to teach... I panic easily. Eventually the harder questions break down into the less serious questions. What if I have stuff in my teeth and no one tells me? Do other people panic like this?
Luckily for me, most of my friends have been teaching for a few years and have pleanty of techniques for dealing with the butterflies. One friend told me that my fears were unfounded--I had to remember that my students would probably be even more nervous than I was. I was just teaching them. They'll be in new schools, probably won't know anyone, and are low on the totem pole. They're willing to believe anything I tell them, Christy assures me regularly. Everybody knows I have the best friends.
posted by Darcy at
3:19 PM
3 Comments:
When my brother started teaching high school chemistry at 21 yrs old, he told his student that he was 42 and he'd been writing books for 17 years.
They really will believe anything you tell them--even if they are freshman and not high school students. Just do your best, that is all anyone can ask of you.
By
Heidi, at 10:28 PM
See! I really do have the best friends!
By
Darcy, at 11:27 PM
Just fake it!!! Most students do not even realize that sometimes teachers can be wrong. Just pretend they are all dumber than you. Most of them probably are. Dirty looks help as well!
By
nsmith, at 2:18 PM
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