You Only Ever Have One First Day

Wow. Our first day of school. And we all survived. Barely. It seemed as if each of was trying to be in two places at once -and didn't know how to get to either one of them. On this first half-day, classes were only twenty minutes long. While this meant that I didn’t have a lot to prepare, it also meant that the day was moving at a break-neck pace. I think I learned a grand total of three students’ names.

Showing up thirteen days late continues to have a ripple effect. Because we weren’t here for the bulk of new-teacher orientation, Annika didn’t take here placement tests until the day before school began. Therefore, she did not have a class schedule when school started on Wednesday. Poor kid. She is in a foreign country, far from home, doesn’t know a soul, sticks out like a soar thumb, doesn’t know where to go because she doesn’t actually have a place she’s supposed to go to yet.

Between first and second period, I caught a glimpse of her in the hallway and I could tell she was not doing well. I came along side of her and walked her down to the little open lounge area at the end of the hall. She needed her daddy. The problem was, I had a classroom full of eighth-graders fifty feet down the hall waiting for their new teacher to enter the room. I was torn between my professional responsibilities and my role as a protector-dad. Annika won. My students would just have to wait.

Admittedly, it’s been a difficult process settling in. The four of us have been trying to do in six days what was meant to be done is 21 days. But I don’t think that any of us has second-guessed our decision to be here. But for three brief minutes, sitting there on the sofa with my arm around my thirteen-year old, knowing that I was neglecting my professional responsibilities, I thought to myself, What have I done? What was I thinking? Whatever benefits there are to this whole venture, I thought to myself, they are not worth this moment right here.

I had to get to class, but I couldn’t (or wouldn't) leave my daughter.

And then, as if by by some miracle, Gostick -who is usually holed up in her human resources office down on the first floor- suddenly came around the corner. Gostick thought the reason she was up on the fourth floor was to have me sign yet another piece of paperwork, but you and I both know why she showed up at that spot at that time. After I explained Annika's lack of a schedule, Gostick stepped right in and took over so that I could get to my class. When I glanced back, Gostick had put her arm around Annika and was leading her down the hall.

Gostick took her down to the secondary office and was able to get Annika her schedule. (She is going to be in both her Dad’s English and American history class.) By the time I saw her back on the fourth floor an hour later, I am happy to report, Annika was in much better spirits.

That was Wednesday. It's now Friday and we are in the midst of our third day of school –our second full day- and things are going much, much better for all of us. I’ve actually learned the names of most of my students, Elise really likes her teacher, and Annika has learned to navigate the building. Annika even has a few girls in the eighth grade who are looking out for her. I just noticed that Florence Lau –who is a full twelve inches shorter than Annika- was waiting for her in order to go to lunch together.

Thank God for small gifts.

Remind me to give Florence an A for the quarter.

-Jack