Back to school. Back to school. To prove to dad Im not a fool

I SURVIVED!

Bring in the lifesavers and stop shooting the flares I MADE IT! I managed to stay afloat during my first week of training. In fact I wasn't only treading water I was SWIMMING through the waves with ease and grace. 

I will admit the teacher before me left the class in shambles and the kids have had 4 different teachers in 3 weeks so I knew it wasn't going to be easy.  But as their permanent teacher, I came in and shook things up a bit resulting in some mixed emotions of the students. On the second day I had to keep one class in 3 minutes into their lunch for bad behavior. .....I found a note carved into the side of the table "Ms Terry sucks....die b*tch"  

But by friday I could tell I was getting nicer (not on purpose) because I found some that said "I love Ms Terry" and "Ms Terry rocks"

I think my biggest struggle so far is taking myself seriously. Ha! Everyone in the education world knows that you have to start off strict in order to maintain mental sanity throughout the rest of the school year. Starting off too easy is suicide and along with that comes an array of downward spiraling issues that might never stop (behavioral issues). SO the hardest part for me is being mean. Because honestly I don't really care about a lot of things but I HAVE to the first day. I have to put them in their place and instill a healthy fear into these defiant 12 year olds. 

And I think I have. 

The very first day of school a student was sent to ISS for saying "f you" to one of the aides in my class and we had an EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN- yeah. NOT A DRILL. Of course they dont tell you at the time the reason they just say over the intercom "we are going into an emergency lockdown! Teachers follow the emergency lockdown procedure"

WHAT??!?!?! HOLD ON! I....havent been told about the procedure yet. Hi, this is my first day! WTF? "OK kids go........hide in that corner over there!" "I need to ummmm take roll. STOP TALKING!

I panic trying to take roll IN THE DARK with my cell phone as a light. I then scramble around to find the green card Im supposed to slide under the door. ALL the while my kids are freaking out slash cutting up because they think I cant see them in the dark.

"STOP TALKING! THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER! THIS IS NOT A DRILL WHICH MEANS YOU NEED TO BE QUIET AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION!"

this only freaks them out more, which doesnt help anything. The kids start asking questions. 

"Is there someone in the building?" 

"Are they going to come get us?"

"DO THEY HAVE A GUN?" 

"Ohhhh nooooooo! we are going to be shot!"

"NO! ok kids...Don't worry. we are all completely fine. Nothing is going to happen but I do need you all to still understand the seriousness of this lockdown. This was not a drill so the principal needs us to be on our very best behavior and wait QUIETLY and patiently for further instruction. 

and that was my first day of school.......