So far, so good!

For the loyal blog readers, you may recall that I often have that 'night before school' dream where I cannot get my locker open because I cannot remember my combination... which is silly because it is many years later and I remember my high school locker combination, 9-39-27... but that dream has cropped up when school is starting and I feel nervous or anxious about things.  This year, I didn't have that dream.  I don't feel nervous, which is a little crazy...and I keep asking myself, are you nervous? You seem to calm... but... the truth is, I feel like I have been at this job for a long time.  Granted I have been in the building since early July, so the space itself is very familiar.. the change is the activity within the halls.  Today the freshmen came, just them, to see the school and attend their classes.  We also had some assemblies, which I think had mixed results.  The keynote speaker was someone I heard speak last year at my old job... and I was equally unimpressed with him today.  His message is that EVERY person needs to go to college.  He said that you can go to college for any and all jobs including pro-wrestling and monster truck racing.  Really? College for monster truck racing? Dude... c'mon... people who race monster trucks study by being in the field.  I am sure courses in mechanics wouldn't hurt, but four years of college? He said there are people among us who disagree with him, who believe not all kids need to go to college... at which point I wanted to JUMP out of my seat and say, "Me, Me, that totally describes me!" I think the bigger point he was trying to make, which was totally missed because the kids were not about to dig that deep, was that there are no limits to what you can do.  That no matter what you like, no matter your grades, you can be successful in college.  That is a good message... but there are so many ways that message could have been shared.  And the message should be, IF you choose to go to college or want to go to college you can, and you can find something to study that you will love.  But... I think about that... and think about all the core classes still required at college... the English classes, Sciences etc., even when those classes do not apply to your anticipated degree.  And I think about the kids for whom school is more than an inconvenience, but is torture.  Why can we not offer more programming like career technology classes offer? There were kids today, in the crowd, who were so unhappy being there... kids who I assume are going to become frequent flyers in the Assistant Principal's office... and wish that we could figure out a way to engage those kids... I won't be working too closely with freshmen this year, because of the way the responsibilities are divided, but it was good to be there.  I did, however, meet a kid who I will work with.  He and his mom stopped by to day hello, following up with me because I had called them this week to introduce myself... knowing that he was a kid who spent a lot of time in the assistant principal's office... he was not thrilled to be at school today when it was not required, but hopefully we will be off on the right foot...  my message to many kids this year has been and will continue to be... I do not expect you to be perfect or to be able to behave perfectly, but I want them to start thinking about things and told him that when we drive and we are speeding as we go zooming by the state trooper, it's too late to hit the brakes... I told him that as he feels himself pushing the accelerator to get away from things, to come see me, before he gets a ticket.  We'll see how that works out...
I got a nice compliment today, from one of the teachers.  She told me that her interactions with me make her feel like I have been here longer than three days... she feels like she has known me for a long time.  I hope that is the case for others as well.
It is strange to be here, at home, in the evening, at 7:30 and have time to blog.  I don't have lesson plans to write, don't have IEPs to review and write... I am really going to try to not leave work until things are done, until my desk is cleared off... so that when I am home I am home... and not doing work from here. So far, so good.