It’s finally here, day one, the first day of school. It’s a feeling of clean hallways, new notebooks, bright smiles, youthful exuberance and…freshness.
Luckily, for those of us in education, we get to have a fresh start every year. With the end of summer holidays comes the beginning of a new year. Our friends and family, who don’t work in the most amazing field in the world like we do, can’t possibly understand what it means to be able to start fresh each year. New school uniforms, clean whiteboards, refreshed colleagues, and eager students. It’s one of the best times of the year to be an educator, the energy is high and the possibilities are endless.
A fresh start, however, doesn’t mean that we’re starting from nothing. Having a clean slate and being able to start fresh allows us to build and grow upon lessons learned in the past. We can think back to previous school years and draw on experiences, both good and bad, to develop our plan. So often in life we only get one shot at something and it’s over, no matter if it went well or not. As educators we get to look back, recall lessons and activities, and know that we get another shot to make them even better this time around. After all, growing and improving is what it’s all about, right? Just as we work hard to help our students grow throughout their time in our classes, we are working on growing and improving as educators as well.
With students streaming through the doors, eager to see their class lists and schedules, the opportunity to start our students off on the right foot is ours for the taking. Helping them find their classes, welcoming them with a smile and handshake, and setting a positive tone will leave them with the excitement and ambition for success right from the start. Being mindful of the way we start each class, each day, and each week is just as important as how we start the school year. We’re fortunate to have a very positive and supportive school community, keeping the momentum rolling won’t be hard after such a strong start.
Everyone appreciates a fresh start, students and teachers alike. We had a great first week together as a staff and I’m more confident than ever that the coming weeks with students will be even better! Enjoy the fresh start and take it all in.
A couple interesting reads about fresh starts:
Pushing Forward 