The calm before the storm

As of tomorrow, I will be the teacher to 100ish students. I wish I could say I felt 100% prepared. But that would be a giant lie. Even now, starting my eighth year of teaching, I still don't feel fully prepared. 

I've tried to explain the start of school many times over the years. Here's the best example I can come up with. Imagine a natural disaster, say, a hurricane is coming toward you. (Note: This example doesn't really work with other natural disasters. Don't try.) (Note #2: I'm not saying the start of the school year is a disaster. It's just an example, people.)  You know it's coming. You stock up on the necessary supplies. You ready your surroundings. You prepare the best you can. But no one can say for certain what will happen when said hurricane shows up. That's sort of like the start of school. You sort of know what to prepare for, but it might be a whole different ball game once the day arrives. 

*Getting on a soapbox now* Contrary to (perhaps) popular belief, teachers do not work 7.5 hours a day for 180 days a year. I don't know ANY teacher that only puts in 7.5 hours a day. Every teacher I talked to today worked on something (or 100 things) over the summer. Most of us came in over the summer to work in our classrooms. And most of us put in at least a kajillion extra hours during the school year too. I'm not telling you this so you tell us how awesome we are. I'm simply telling you this because it's important to understand the level of dedication and commitment of teachers. We want what's best for our students. We want to teach them how to think and learn and make change. We're in charge of their education. And that's a HUGE responsibility. 

So, tonight, I will work on my lesson plans, pack my lunch, and prepare for my 100ish students to arrive. I'm just enjoying the calm before the storm. :)