Teacher, Teacher

One

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I truly was NOT ready for today. The first day of school and with new students for the 2002-2003 school year. I rolled over onto my side to hit my alarm. Thankfully, every weekday I sat my alarm for 20 minutes before I actually had to get up just to give me some time to think. Thinking was going to be much needed for a morning like this. I decided to just get out of bed and face the day with a triple shot espresso in my to go cup, my purse, and any lessons plans I might need for next week. Thankfully, the weekend was the day after tomorrow so I had some time off to get used to everything.

I arrived at school and took a few deep breaths before getting my stuff together and getting out of the car. "Amanda, wow, you haven't changed over the summer." My partner teacher Carroll said from behind me. I didn't like her, and she wasn't my favorite person to talk to at the lunch table. "Neither have you." I said with a smile as we walked in. I was jealous of her. Not because she was married and I wasn't, or that she had kids and I didn't, but her husband was the superintendent of the school district and let her have whatever she wanted in her room. A chameleon? Sure. Pictures on her walls? Whatever you want. And I had...a single poster of a Barbie dream house. It wasn't even educational, but I loved that one poster that I could have.

I walked to my classroom and sat everything up. I laid out the introductory worksheets on each desk. Wow, fifteen kids. Then again, we were a small school since everyone moved away after last year's earthquake. I was sure we had a lot of new faces this year, too. At least, I think we would. I could hear the kids walking through the hallway now and as I was sitting at my desk I could see the lines of them. All 7 year olds. Some started coming in and I decided to force some joy into my voice. I loved my job, but after doing it for so long, it was getting draining. "Hello, good morning. Your names are on your desks." I told them. I kept saying it as each child came in, but one in particular came in wearing...a suit?

He fixed his glasses as he came in with his backpack on his shoulders and found his desk. He was in the middle of the class. Finally, when everyone was seated I shut the door. "Hello, everyone. My name is Ms. Halifax and I'll be your teacher this year. I'm going to do roll call, so just say 'here' if you're well....here." I pulled out my clipboard with the roll call on it. So far, as I called them everyone appeared to be here. "Luther....Sigh-Neck?" "It's Senyk. Luther Synek." I looked up to see the boy in the suit staring at me. "You're Luther?" I asked him. "Yes." He said with his hands folded on his desk. Yeah, he definitely was a new student here. I finished roll call and got started. I asked them to do their introductory sheets while I was getting everything ready for next week. I could hear Carroll's students next to me and they were getting rowdy, and my students were whispering which I didn't mind. There were some new students here, but some I had seen from the grade previously.

After their sheets, I gave them a coloring page of the world map. Just something to keep them busy while I read their introductory sheets, Luther's stuck out like a sore thumb. He wrote in beautiful cursive for a seven year old.

"My name is: Luther James Synek.
I am from: Toronto, Canada.
My favorite color is: Blue
My pet's name is: Isis
My favorite food is: Mashed Potato's
My favorite subject is: Math
My favorite TV show is:_______"

Hmm, he left that one blank. I looked up and he was the only one that wasn't talking. He was being very quiet. I wonder how this would play out at lunch.

Teaching second grade was very easy. It was towards the end of the day where they would get rowdy. Especially after recess. Recess always took place before lunch, and I was on duty today. My job was to keep an eye on the kids in case a fight broke out or if they were being too rough. Making sure kids came down the slide one at a time. That kinda thing. But I was watching Luther, who was sitting on the side walk with a book and was to himself. "Hey, is that your kid?" The other teacher asked. She had a classroom way at the end of the hall, so we didn't speak often. "Yeah, he's...interesting. He's from Canada and just moved here." She cocked her eyebrow. "His dad in the military?" She asked. "I'm not sure. He didn't come to orientation last week so I'm not sure. Hold on, I'll go talk to him."