Before the first day

Tomorrow will be my first day teaching. Ever. I'm not really sure why I chose this path... for most people who are part of the New York City Teaching Fellows it is a calling, a longing that they have felt for some time. For me, I wanted a career that would work well around my family, plus I like math. So I gave it a shot and here I am.

So I'm going to step into the classroom tomorrow, terrible at speaking in front of crowds as it is, and fake my way through my nerves. I am lucky enough to be in a supportive school; we actually just created a school wide discipline plan and are on a unified front. But the plan still isn't finalized and I'm not sure exactly what to tell my students. I can't even lay out the consequences for their misbehaviors because the dean is going to come around during homeroom at some point this week to discuss the system.

I've been reading through the Wong book... I've had it all summer long but only opened it up tonight. It mentions all the procedures that are important to go over with the class. It even gives the language with which to address them with the class. But it's too late for me to memorize anything...

So it's 10pm now, my husband is coming home with dinner, I have to fix my letter home to the parents and come up with a list of rules and procedures I want to discuss tomorrow. I feel so unprepared.