August 15 5 am: Alarm sounds, I jump out of bed and into the shower. Year 2, Day 1.
It was hard to believe walking into my school building that I had been away for 2 months, it felt like two weeks. I am teaching the same courses in the same classroom with the same freshmen team. Thankfully, having a similar setup to my first year made me feel confident and comfortable going into my second year.
7am: 10 minutes before the school day begins and I head downstairs to greet students.
The best part about being a second year teacher is seeing my former fearful freshmen as self-assured and confident sophomores. As I stand in the hall, nearly all my previous students happily tell me good morning and some wave, hug, or offer high-fives. I had not anticipated such a joyful greeting from my old freshmen. Teaching just feels like another job until you are around students and then I am reminded that I love what I do... it is more than a job.
7:30am: All 75 of the new freshmen are sitting in front of me and the rest of the freshmen teachers.
The second best part of the new year is new faces. This year I am teaching all the freshmen and only freshmen, so staring out at the new set of faces in the cafeteria I am anxious to get to know them and start teaching them. The casually observer would see that the new freshmen look young and nervous. As I stare out at them, I see fresh faces that are excitedly full of potential. They are on the brink of a new and thrilling experience and I have the privilege of working with them at the beginning of their high school career.
5:15: The School Day and Cross Country practice are over... I finally get to go home.
9:00: I'm in bed, praying for reviving rest so that I can wake up and do it all again!
