So what exactly would you say you do??

Alright, let's see....I'm sitting at Cups right now in Fondren (is it in or at 'The Fondren'), and I'm starting to get looks from the people behind the pastry shelves. "This bastard isn't even gonna purchase one thing." They don't actually say that, but the eyes...ooooo...you can tell everything from the eyes. My response....NOPE!...HAHA. That'd be awesome if I started pulling out homemade muffins and store-bought juice, and I just started feasting. Alright, alright, I'm not actually blogging to tell about my abuse of free wireless internet. My first two weeks of school....ahh yes....they were so much better than last years!! I mean last year wasn't THAT bad, but there was just this feeling about not knowing the culture, the staff, the surroundings, what I could and couldn't enforce, etc. This year it's my show. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.

Now, I've definitely still had to give out plenty of detentions and I'll bet I've made around 30-40 phone calls to parents just trying to 'nip it in the bud' already. The biggest difference by far though is that students for the most part aren't trying to test me. They know me and they know what is expected of them. One of my best moments this past week was when I was taking my class to the cafeteria for lunch. I've been so much more strict on this procedure so far, and it has paid off in a big way. So back to the story...we're walking through the cafeteria, we were just 'on fire'. I say that in a good way. We weren't talking, we were in a single-file line, and we were pretty much the only class that was accomplishing this at the time.

Anyways, there were two girls from another class in the corner talking, and I could hear one of them saying, "Oooo, that class quiet." She really did leave out the word 'is'; that's not a typo. Then the other girl chimes in with, "Yeah, they better be; cause they know Mr. Taylor gonna get that ass." I wanted to smile so bad and maybe even turn and wink at the girls, but I kept the game-face going. If they're going to say it, then I've got to back it up. I was pumped.

One other thing that I've noticed about myself is that I'm not near as concerned about being liked by the students right off the bat. I just want my classroom to be have a work-centered environment that fosters good habits. If that happens, then I am pleased. So to close this out, my advice to first years that are having a hard time right is to not judge teaching by your first-year experience and especially not your first-week experience. If these first two-weeks are a correct indication, then the second-year is so much better.