My Story

Students expect a teacher to know everything. What they didn't know, was how much they taught me during my first year as a teacher.

I completed my Single Subject Math teaching credential in January 2010 which meant that every middle and high school out there was starting their second semester of school. That means no job openings until the next school year. I immediately panicked and started applying to every school district substitute list within 45 minutes of where I lived. One month later, I finally received my first substitute assignment to teach a kindergarten class for 3 days. Awesome! Since I had no experience in teaching students younger than 6th grade, I was excited and nervous for this assignment. Several days before substituting, I received the best phone call someone could ever get in this tough economy: There is a potential 8th grade math teacher position opening up, are you willing to come in tomorrow to interview and teach a sample lesson? OF COURSE! I went in on Wednesday, interviewed, received the job that day, was told I will be replacing a teacher who will be fired tomorrow, and I started my very first day in my own classroom that Friday. I learned later that it was a serendipitous moment that gave me this wonderful opportunity to teach. My substitute paperwork was incomplete and was being checked by the district secretary who saw that I had a math credential. This is rare in an elementary school district which has middle schools too. She mentioned my name to the assistant superintendent, and the rest is history.

As if the first year as a teacher isn't hard enough, imagine only having 2 days to prepare and learn the rules of the school before walking into a classroom in the middle of the school year where I will be the students' FOURTH math teacher. It was only February! They were a rowdy bunch and I had to somehow convince these kids that I've been "teaching for years" and even though I looked like I was 18 years old (yes, that's what they guessed my age to be) I had to show them who's boss. I'm writing this blog the summer after my first semester of teaching, since I didn't have any time during the school year. Read. Learn. Enjoy.