I am ready.   

All that grinding over the past week and a half.  Setting up my desk.  Throwing stuff out.  Meetings.  Classroom prep time.  Asking question after question.  Meeting new colleagues.  Creating syllabi.  Scanning curriculum.  Knocking out a bulletin board or two.  Getting stuff done.  It has all paid off.  

I am SO ready.

I had nothing left at the end of my day today.  I powered through one last student orientation and work day, and don’t you know I hit that brick wall around 2:00 pm.  My innermost being craved a Diet Coke, but there was too much to finish.  The gas gauge was hoovering on empty.  

I literally took a face dive on my couch about an hour ago.  Planted myself there for a good half hour before supper.  My face probably looked like Arnold Schwarznegger in Kindergarten Cop after his first day of school.  But do you know what?  It felt good.

Cue Toby Mac singing “Love Feels Like.”

I am tired, I am drained

But the fight in me remains

I am weary, I am worn

Like I’ve never been before

This is harder than I thought

Harder than I thought it’d be

Harder than I thought

Takin’ every part of me

Harder than I thought

So much harder than I thought it’d be

But empty’s never felt so full

My feelings exactly.  

When my head hits the pillow tonight, I will be out.  But a fire is burning inside my gut right now.  A spark was lit over a week ago.  My new principal is a former basketball coach.  Her pep talk had me rocking in my chair, wanting to get at it right then.  Slowly, methodically that spark had been fanned.  Nurtured.  Burning brighter and brighter.  

I am BEYOND ready!

There is a power that resides in every teacher.  The power to make a difference.  The power to be a kid’s safe place to learn and have fun.  The power to build camaraderie and unity in the classroom.  

I saw those little 6th graders smiling in the hallway today, only getting about eight of them in my room for Creative Writing.  I only had them for about eight minutes.  I wished they could have stayed longer.  They are the reason that flame is burning bright.  

This is year 23 for me.  I have become that grizzled veteran.  Kinda like Joe Montana joining the Chiefs in 1993.  Montana was aging, but you know what happened.  He rallied the Chiefs all the way to the AFC Championship game.  Something they hadn’t tasted in decades.  

I may be on my last leg, but like Montana, I still have some gas left in the tank.  

Huddle up, all you teachers out there.  I have been through this rodeo before.  Pay heed to a few tips I write not only for you but also to remind myself of.  

1. Build relationships.  Throw out curriculum for the first few days.  As a matter of fact, depending on how much I get through this week, my teambuilding might run into next week a day or two.  It is all worth it.  The relationships built in the first few days will build camaraderie and trust, which will propel your students into the school year.
2. Lay down the law.  You have class rules in place for a reason.  Expect greatness there.  Don’t settle for mediocre.  Students will rise to the level of expectation set before them.  You can smile and have fun, but if a student is testing the waters already, don’t be shy to put them in their place.  Don’t give them an inch.  Don’t be afraid to make an example of someone.
3. Practice rules and procedures.  Everything from how to sharpen a pencil to how to pass papers in.  Legendary basketball coach John Wooden actually pulled his players aside to teach them how to tie their shoelaces during their first practice.  He didn’t want any blisters.  Guess what?  Neither do you.  Practice, practice, and practice more.  Until they get it right.
4. Share your life.  Tell your students what your passions are outside of teaching.  You don’t have to tell them your deepest secrets but talk about that vacation to Branson.  Tell the kids how many dogs you have.  How many kids you have and whether or not you are married.  But don’t hog all the time.  Allow the kids to share as well!  If you allow them into your world, they will let you into their world.  
5. Always overplan.  Better to have a ton of activities than not enough.  You can even save some fun team building activities for later in the year, but have them ready.  My kids are playing the celebrity name game tomorrow in Creative Writing and we might get to student Jenga.  Fun stuff they will talk about at dinner!  Be the teacher that has oodles of those activities ready to rock n roll.

How about some scripture that we need to meditate on?  Slow down.  Breathe.  Read these one at a time and allow them to sink in.

1. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)
2. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)
3. “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (James 1:19)
4. “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)
5. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)

Alright, it is time to finish laundry.  Shower.  Check in on the boys and make sure they aren’t playing Fortnite past 9:00 pm.  Say goodnight to the wifey.  My eyelids are heavy.  But back to Toby Mac, empty has never felt so full.  

This is what love (this is what love)

This is what love

Feels like

This is what love (this is what love)

This is what love

Feels like

Poured out, used up, still givin’

Stretching me out to the end of my limits

This is what love (this is what love)

This is what real love

Feels like

This is what love feels like poured out

Used up still willin’ to fight for it

This is what love feels like

Yeah, this is what it feels like

Teacher Olympics Update

Hello, this is Mike Tirico, once again with the latest Teacher Olympics update.  Tonight we have Clint Daniels, veteran teacher of 22 years and winner of three gold medals this past week.  Clint, tell us about that experience.

Well, Mike, after winning the Bladder Hold, I was pretty amped up for Surviving Inservice.  I actually got a lot of good stuff this year considering I am brand new to my school.  I needed it.

Well, you won the gold there, but talk about your experience in the Copy Machine Craze.  

Yeah, that was a tough one.  You just have to get there early to the copy machine, know all the ins and outs of the hole punching and staples and all that.  

I saw one of your competitors whacking the machine when it wasn’t working.  What happened?  

Well, Mike, the copy machine will get mad at you if you don’t feed it paper.  That poor guy was a rookie.  I am just glad he didn’t cart the machine outside and take a baseball bat to it like they did in Office Space.   

Clint, it is about time to go, but can you tell me about the exciting event coming up tomorrow.

Yes, of course!  On our first day of students, we play Teacher Bingo.  Everyone gets a randomized bingo card with goofy stuff the kids always say.  The first one to get a blackout wins gold.  

What stuff do the kids say?

You know, things like, “Bruh,” and “bet.”  I will count myself lucky if I see the word “savage.”  

Do the kids still say “savage?”  I thought that was kinda 2021.  

Uh, yeah, maybe so.  It is hard to keep up with them.  

Much thanks, Clint, and best of luck to you on the first day of school tomorrow!

Thanks, Mike!