Teacher in training...

First Day

This is a first part of a story I began writing which is still in progress, it's the first I've written so any feedback would be nice!

FYI Parts in italic are Nellie's thoughts ;)

 

I open the door and turn on the lights as I will do almost every day from now on. I contemplate the classroom with its drab beige walls and black board which is all; from this day forward...mine in a way.

I can see a plaque on which my name, Nellie Carter, is already inscribed in a gold font. To think that only a few months ago, I was still interning with Mrs. Estrada, taking notes, asking for information... being a student.

Now the student becomes the teacher, that's the way it goes I suppose. My sudden nostalgia came to an end, when I heard someone entering the room. I turned around to see my former mentor standing near the door.

She came to wish me luck and to give me last minute wisdom. She said "Nellie remember one swallow doesn't make a summer," with that done she smiled and left.

I stood there, trying to figure out what she meant while biting my lip, when the bell rang. Teenagers began to arrive in the classroom.

When I saw that every seat seemed taken, I proceeded to introduce myself.

"Hi, my name is Nellie Carter, please call me Miss Nellie. As you probably already know, by your schedule, I am your English teacher this year."

A tall boy with broad shoulders and blue eyes, definitely a basketball player, chuckled loudly while talking to the girl next to him.

Before I had time to intervene, he asked me if I was married. The class laughed lightly.

Caught off guard, I showed my ring finger, ring less as a response. He then said, while giggling, what I understood to be "you should cheer up Mr. Carpenter!" in a very suggestive manner.

Everyone laughed for what seemed to be an eternity. I then realized that it was my job to bring them back to order.

Letting the outcast feeling dissipate, I moved on to the details of the subjects that would be evaluated for each semester and explaining the rules of my class room.

I insisted on the part where "Students must raise their hand and be granted permission before they may speak", while glancing at the blue eyed boy, who I had just learned is named Dylan.

My first class ever was now officially over!

Prepare yourself for 200 more days like these! was my immediate thought. Hopefully this was a good first day?! Well it's not finished yet!

While walking towards Principal Avery Dansfield's office, I saw from a few centimeters away, a note on the wooden door that read “In the gymnasium B205 for the annual staff meeting. A.D."

I had somewhat consciously forgotten about that, not being very fond of those types of events, too crowded, although very insightful. It's probably there that I will meet my future "work friends"...

With that in mind, I reached the place of meeting, where I saw Mrs. Dansfield in a designer pantsuit with a white name tag on her pocket.

I suddenly felt out of place standing next to her, since I was wearing dark washed jeans paired with a blouse and a cardigan bought at your typical supercenter.

She told me to get my name tag at a plastic table to our left.

This reminded me of the time when me and my roommate Lindsey went speed dating...There's even non-alcoholic drinks!

I was startled by the grating sound of the microphone in the principal's hand. She was now on a small black stage at the back of the room, which was close to the door leading to the lockers.

She greeted the crowd, which the staff was now forming by saying "Welcome to you all, most of you I've known for years, others are fresh faces that I'd like to introduce you to."

She invited me and two others, a man and a woman in their late 20s to the stage, as well as two women seemingly in their late thirties.

Distraught, I climbed the small steps leading to the stage, my heart pounding. I know I'm a teacher, how could I be scared of public speaking? ... or just being in front of a large crowd...The answer to this is I have no idea! I just am ...But most of all, I strongly disliked the unexpected.

When we were all lined up next to her, the principal continued to talk, but now in a tone of amusement "Here at Baysfield Art High School we like to welcome our new teachers in a very special way." I do not like where this is going...

"We are known for our complicity and solidarity, not only with our students but also between our teachers and staff..." she continued "This is why each year when we have new employees we have a friendly competition amongst newcomers, to our great pleasure; it serves as somewhat of a rite of passage."

I really do not like the sound of this. Once in primary school, there was a dictation; the child with the best grade would get candies. It was down to me and Priscilla Chen. Let's just say that the pressure got to me and I forfeited.

Mrs. Dansfield finally explained "Each newcomer will be paired up with a teacher who has been working here for a few years. They will be their guide in our school. They will need to, as part of their initiation and to get to know their colleague, create a number that represents an important mandate of our school. After all this school takes pride in its artistic accomplishments!"

It was one of the reasons why I did apply here! The principal proceeded to call the "teams."

"First is Margaret Hoggart with Elena Estrada. She is lucky Mrs. Estrada is a great mentor; she really helped me during my internship here.

Mrs. Dansfield continued "Gavin Marks is with Jason Ling (they high fived). Friends already?"

She said still amused "Nellie Carter is paired up with Kenneth Carpenter."

His name sounded familiar...Right my student Dylan had mentioned him...