Rookie Teacher Archive 1

8/23/2006
A Middle School
Somewhere in Central Texas

School started a little over a week ago, and I am alternately exhausted, energized, overjoyed, and cowering in the corner. There is a lot more of the exhausted and cowering, but I am enjoying myself.
But I should start at the beginning, and to how I obtained this position.
One Friday near the end of June, I received a phone call, but I didn’t reach it in time. No voicemail was left, but I recognized the 1st three numbers as belonging either to the city or the school district.
I had only interviewed two times before this, so I was eager. Yes, it was merely June, but I foresaw my future stretching out, interviewless and forever trapped as a Assistant Teacher. Ok, so I’m dramatic, well melo dramatic. I’m a writer, so sue me.
As I was saying, I recognized the numbers, so I called back. Voice mail. It took me a little while to realize it was a school voicemail, so I hung up without leaving a message. I might mention that I was in the car at the time and had pulled over, so I wasn’t interested in lolling about.
I pulled back onto the road and it clicked: I think she said “So & So of Famous Name Here Middle School, please leave a message.
But I didn’t work at FMH Middle School, so why would someone be calling me? I pulled over again, and called back, this time leaving a message. Then Principal S. called me. She was interested in interviewing me.
To make a long story not quite as long, I spoke with Principal S 3 more times, scheduled my Content Test for a week later, and arranged an interview.
I took the test, but didn’t receive my scaled score (aka didn’t know if I’d really passed or not) for a week, however the interview went very well. And I was hired.
That was back in July. In August, I sit (run actually most days) looking at the bright faces of the student’s I’m teaching, and I still can’t believe it. I would be far more frightened if I wasn’t so tired.