It's Official...

I'm fat!

No. Really. I must be because I met my first grade class yesterday and after spending a good 25 minutes distributing a make-up math test to a student whom I thought I was building a rapport with, he decided to shout out to the entire class, while turning in his completed test, "What are you lookin' at Chubby?" (Picture a really mean 7 year old with a Bronx accent as you read that line in your head, cause that's what he sounded like).

Yes, I know children can be brutally honest at times, and in the past their remarks about my bald head, or the occasional acne, or the fact that boys are not supposed to have earrings, have stung a little, but this was a brand new blow to my ego that I was NOT expecting! I guess it's a good thing he used the word "chubby" instead of "fatty" since fatty would obviously mean I am having a problem with Obesity, whereas Chubby infers I merely have a few pounds to lose.

Needless to say I was completely thrown off guard by this remark and had absolutely no response back to this child whom had just verbally assaulted me on my first day. Thank goodness my mentor teacher gave him a stern, "What did you just say? We do not talk like that in this classroom. He is a teacher in this class and you had better show some respect. Now go apologize." (ha ha ha Vengeance!)

So, first grade is not off to the best start. I knew it was going to be different from my last experience of having a class full of, what I now look back upon and realize were perfect third grade students, but I had no idea it was going to be this different. I'm not sure if it is the age group, or the school I'm at, or my mentor's teaching style, but these kids sort of frighten me. I have never seen such a rambunctious class before. They talk all day long, they do not stay in their seats, they are constantly leaving the classroom at whim, and they just seem to be all over the place. My mentor did warn me that they were "highly unruly" today, but I am worried my classroom management skills may not be up to par. I'm going to have to start looking into ways of keeping 24 seven year olds in check at all times. Any suggestions are highly encouraged.

Even though the kids were a bit of a shock I can tell that there are some definite good eggs in the bunch. I may have been thrown by my first day experience, but I still have hope. There are quite a few bright students whom I'm really looking forward to working with, and getting to know better. It's funny how you seem to gravitate to the two polar opposites when you first meet a class. You instantly learn the names of those students who are going to make your life difficult, and also those who are going to help you to remember why you got into teaching in the first place. But don't worry, that doesn't mean I leave out the kids in the middle. In fact, it is the kids in the middle that usually impress me the most.

My last blog said "Watch out 1st grade, here I come," but now that I've experienced my first day I'm going to have to change that motto to, "Better watch out for those crazy first graders." Wish me luck!