Tuesday, February 10, 2009

My First Day

Welcome to Georgia Southern University or as we like to call it "Southern". This is my first year at Georgia Southern and my second semester. Prior to this semester I was a chemistry major, but I switched to Early Childhood Education last November. So far I really like it, but getting used to so many projects and attendance policies is difficult. I understand that as a professional being late or missing class is unacceptable. I also understand the education department’s reason for implementing an attendance policy to “prepare us for the real world of teaching”. There aren’t many other professions I know of besides teaching where the same rules on attendance don’t apply. Yet as a student those other majors are not penalizing for missing a day! Honestly, the notion that missing a day of class potentially lowers your final average 2-4 points is insane! Sorry I went off on a tangent there, that is really my only issue with the TEP at GSU. Once you go into that school all those petty issues mean nothing. Those children take your heart immediately. Yesterday I went to my first day "in the field" at Guyton Elementary in south Effingham County. I'm in Mrs. Morgan's 2nd grade classroom and I love it! The teacher is stern, but not overbearing. The children are wonderful; I almost think "this can't be real". They stay on task without almost and disciplinary problems. They are inquisitive and always ready to answer. But, the second the kids get a "free" moment I see that this is real. The kids opened up and tell us their entire lives! Within 5 minutes of bathroom time I know the entire schedule as well as the disciplinary policy. I know who does there work, and who doesn’t. The funniest thing they do to me is one up each other. I know a lot of people in the adult world do this too, but it’s so much funnier to see it through their eyes. One person will start off by telling me they have a dog. The next student to come up has a bigger dog, and then the next has a dog and a cat. It keeps going and going until one person decides they’ve lost so they change the subject. It’s hilarious to hear! I have to turn my head or walk away a lot so I don’t encourage their bad, but often very funny, behaviors. It's only been one day but I know I am going to be really happy there!