HOW OLD ARE YOU...really?? A list for you.

I am nearly 24 years old. I've come to realize that most people don't start teaching in a high school right out of college. I am bombarded...on a daily basis...with questions and concerns about my age. Here is a list sampling such occurrences. There are nearly too many to name because it happens EVERY DAY.

1. I went up to the attendance office and told the secretary that I had an appointment with a vice principal. She replied very crisply, "If you need to see him then you need a pass from your homeroom teacher."
2. I was walking to lunch and a security guard stopped me and said "where do you think you're going??" I said, "to lunch". (I was confused, because I didn't know where it was going). He says "where were you before this?" I reply, "my office". He looks at me and apologizes saying that he thought I qualified for detention because I didn't have a pass.
3. I was sitting at a table at the technology fair promoting my students' work. A parent came up to me and asked when the teacher would be back because she needed to talk to her.
4. At the beginning of the year, one of my students' parents complained to the school board that there was a non certified high school student teaching their child's class. It was me.
5. In the same class, a student said to me: "are you old enough to drive, because you sure don't look it."
6. I went to get a parking permit for my car and the secretary says "only teachers can get parking permits here, students must send in their forms by mail"
7. In a class I was talking about a seminar I took in college and a student yelled out, "you went to college?? Aren't you, like, 17?"
8. I was uninvited to happy hour because it was assumed I wasn't old enough to drink
9. While attending a lunch meeting during an inservice day at a pub, the owner told me, in front of my co-workers, that I had to leave because they only allowed patrons 18 and older.
10. At least once a day a student will say "oh I didn't know it was you in the hallway...you look like a kid!"

I do dress very professionally. I wear suits to work and blouses with slacks. WHAT'S THE DEAL?!?!

Some food for thought...

http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/10-things-i-wish-i-knew-as-a-first-year-teacher/



I've read similar lists like this before. So far, it seems that I have been pretty much able to follow this one. I do make an extra effort to give myself personal time. I learned the one about establishing classroom rules the hard way. As for spending like I did before my first paycheck..yeah, right! I had NO income before and NO bills. Now I have lots. More money coming in...and more going out...

Working with Others

Very often in my class, I have students pair up as partners. Occasionally this means having to work with someone that they don't care for. I explain to them that working with others is a lesson to be learned and that you will have to do it for the rest of your life.

I work closely with someone that does not share the same philosophy as me. While I understand that I am a new teacher, I do believe that I am not an idiot. I'm very open to the notion that I will have a steep learning curve this year. I do, however, want to think that others will treat me as a professional and not as a child. While I know he and others have children older than myself, I do not wished to be reminded of this. I am trying so hard to fit into this puzzle of teaching and faculty meetings and community that belittling me will not help my position.

I am very polite to this man and respectful. I constantly remind myself of the lesson that I share to my students: working together we will see accomplishments but divided we will fall.