𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 her family behind, 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒 accepts her dream job in Providence, Rhode Island. Starting her work as a kindergarten teacher, she takes sympathy for a girl named Morrigan, who struggled with her schooling more than most. Re...
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The school is too quiet, I thought.
The echoes of teachers in the break room is all I hear as I leave my room. School starts in 45 minutes and it's all too quiet. But maybe that's how things were around here.
I shift in my skirt, pulling it down so it touches my ankles again. The colorful pattern was too much, but my whole classroom could be defined as "too much."
Another teacher exits her room, smiling cheerily at me.
"Miss Barnes! Aren't you excited to meet your students? I know you weren't here for meet-the-teacher night but I heard your kiddos are so excited to meet you," the woman walks over; the sound of her lanyard and keys against her necklace makes me laugh to myself.
"I'm excited to meet them too, but I think I'm more nervous than anything," I admit, playing with one of the bracelets on my wrist. The woman laughs, and I can't help but smile.
"Please! I've seen your classroom, they love it. The only thing you have to be nervous about is them laughing at her accent."
Right. I can feel my face heat.
"Is it really that noticeable?"
"Girl, it's super noticeable. But don't worry, I think it's cute. So's your blush, it blooms like a little flower!"
We both laugh and I look down to her lanyard to peek at her name.
"So Miss Jeffery-"
"Call me Sofia."
"Only if you call me Rena," I giggle, " Sofia, are you excited for all the students to arrive?"
"Oh no. There's going to be so much chaos and tears. When the little ones leave their parents for the first time they get all in a tizzy."
"I remember my first year back in Cali; the students couldn't wait to get away from their parents there. But I was also teaching 7th grade so any middle schooler wants away from their parents, I guess."
The bell rings, signaling 30 minutes until classes start.
"I'm going to go greet the kids out by the doors. Join me?"
I nod, sliding my own lanyard over my head and walking with Sofia to the school entrance.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
"Hello class! I'm Miss Barnes, your teacher for the year. Are you all excited for your first day of school?"
A bombardment of talking and yelling fills the room. While it was overwhelming, I feel the buzz of excitement.
"Good, then let's work on making our own name tags for our desk!"
I pass out the papers and crayons, letting the kids write their own names and decorate the paper however they see fit. They talk between one another, and I almost forget how easy it is for little kids to make friends.
