Thread: First Day Experiences - Who wants to share theirs?

First day experiences ... we've all had them ...

So who wants to share theirs?

It could be a story from your days of student teaching. There were LOTS of "firsts" back then. Do you remember the first day you met your students? What about the first time you ever wrote a lesson plan or the first time you were responsible for small group instruction?

If you're an experienced teacher, do you have any stories you'd like to share about the first day of school, the first time you taught a new unit, or the first time you changed to another grade level?

Here's one of my firsts.

During my student teaching observation practicum, I was (mistakenly) assigned to a kindergarten classroom. The memory of that experience is a confusing blur - except for the very end of the day.

The children were struggling into sweaters, boots, and coats because it was cold outside. One little girl was struggling with the zipper of her jacket. The zipper was stuck and as she pushed and pulled and tugged and yanked, tears of frustration streamed down her face.

I hurried to help her and found that the zipper was well and truly stuck.

"Are you having a problem?" asked a voice.

I looked up to see a kindergarten boy standing next to the girl I was struggling to help.

"The zipper is stuck," I said. "I'm trying to get it zipped up but it won't zip."

"Would you like me to take a look?"

I looked at the boy and shrugged. The kid couldn't do any worse than I was doing. I stepped aside for the boy. The child leaned forward and grasped the zipper. He zipped up the jacket in one easy motion.

My mouth fell to the floor.

"Let me know if you need any more help," said the boy. He gave me a reassuring pat on my arm, clasped his hands behind his back, and strolled away.

I never saw the boy again. The paperwork glitch was fixed that very afternoon and on the following day I reported to another school.

In the years that have followed, I have occasionally thought about this boy. Every time a zipper is stuck, I find myself listening for a calm and authoritative (kindergarten) voice. "Are you having a problem?"

The student would be about 26 by now.

I wonder what other problems he has solved since that cold winter day back in '81.

- mapping the human genetic code?

- solving world hunger

- discovering the secret of perpetual motion

(sigh)

David