First couple of school days

School started for teachers on Tuesday, but the students returned on Thursday. It's always a little overwhelming at the beginning, remembering how to stand in front of a bunch of kids and talk about math for 40 minutes and get them to listen. It's fun once you get into it, but it always takes a bit to get in a rhythm, especially when there are only 10 school days in September (not that I'm complaining).

I'm teaching Algebra 3/Trigonometry, Honors Elementary Functions, and two sections of Algebra 1, Part 2. It's a nice, well-rounded schedule and I have one day when I'm finished at lunch time.

Before my wedding, somebody gave Ronnie and I a great piece of advice. They said, the whole experience is too overwhelming to retain, so try to pick a few special moments to focus on and remember. The start of school isn't quite that extreme, but here are a few things that stick with me.

• A group of 6th grade girls standing by the stairs, one of them says "And they're always saying 'You're so cute!' " and the others all laughing.
• Finding out that one of my former students posted a picture of me standing next to a yak in Tibet on his Facebook- my first time appearing on Facebook I believe. And yes it's a real picture and no, I don't really want to see the comments. I should say though that once I realized I was going to look like a tourist no matter what I did, I decided to go whole hog. I even bought a Beijing Olympics baseball cap.
  
• Could it be any hotter in Room 20? Room 21 was chilly by comparison.
  
• Students coming for homework help on the first day.
• Seeing the seniors, nearly all of whom I've taught and some of whom I'm working with for the 3rd time.
• Walking up Old Lancaster towards Montgomery I see them putting up a sign point the direction to the train station and the fire house. I think, who cares where the fire house is? I only care if the firemen know where it is. When you have a fire, do you start looking for a nearby firehouse? What they need is a sign that says Hymies to the left, Murrays and Starbucks to the right.
  
• Noticing how small and, well, cute the 6th graders are.

Hope everyone has some special memories. See you all on Monday.