A Look Back

As I sit here watching reruns of the British version of the office (which I find even more funny than the American version) I have time to reflect over this last week and the reason that I am here... to teach an adorable group of 6 and 7 year olds. Until this week I have been settling in, exploring, learning Oxford and meeting people. This week I went back to school... the party was over.

I went to an inset day on Wednesday and had my first official day of tears. Between trying to get ready, understanding the nice British man and his data, trying to understand the acronyms (there are plenty in the British school system) and working through the list of things that need to be done, should be done, should have already been done and things I have forgotten to do but then remembered to do... I was a bit overwhelmed. Luckily teaching is not a profession that is by any means lonely. My team and fellow teachers at Phil and Jim pulled me back together and helped me to get ready for the infamous FIRST DAY.

For those of you that have never read it there is a book called "First Day Jitters". It is a wonderful book that goes through how the character won't get out of bed, has to be coerced to get dressed, dragged to the car and lead to the classroom. In the end you find out that it is not the student that had the first day jitters, it was the teacher. I can relate to that book. I defiantly dragged that morning, did the speed limit, had an extra cup, and walked a little slowly through the corridor.

So how does this story end, like most good stories, with a happy ending. Students are students no matter where you go. They are quiet the first day, coming out of their shells the second, and chatty by the third. They make pictures for you, tell you that you are pretty (and that you have a funny accent in instance), and are confused how to get home. They are special from the very beginning. This will be my class from England, my group of parents from England and the staff that helped me survive my year in England (there is a special place in heaven for this staff, they are getting through each day). In the end I look back at my first week and think about all the things that had me stressed. I know that those things will fade away and that I will eventually learn that I need to know (and then it will be time to go) but it is the kids that I won't forget. I have 29 precious students and I realize now that they might be my favorite thing about England.