14 things that will happen on your first day in school

We asked our community what to expect on that nerve-jangling start to your career in the classroom. Here’s what we found out...

  1. You'll wake up ridiculously early. Because YOU’RE ABOUT TO BE PUT IN CHARGE OF 30 CHILDREN! And you’d like to look at your notes one last time.
     
  2. You’ll check you’ve packed everything you need 59,876 times… Stop checking now. Oh ok, once more won’t hurt.
     
  3. ...But will still forget something. Don’t worry, you can live without it. Even if it’s your lunch box there are always school dinners (don’t worry, they’re better than they used to be).
     
  4. The printer will be your nemesis. You don’t know how to use it and when you do it will go horribly wrong. That A4 worksheet you lovingly prepared? It’s coming out double-sided on A3 paper no matter what you press. And it’ll use up your entire month’s printing allowance while it’s at it.
     
  5. You'll do anything to grab your students' attention. No matter how silly it makes you look.
     
  6. Don't even bother trying to remember any names. Let’s face it, you can barely remember what classroom you’re supposed to be in, let alone the names of all the kids in it. Not to mention your fellow staff. Luckily you can refer to them as Sir or Miss until their names finally sink in. Probably around the start of summer term.
     
  7. You'll wander the corridors looking lost. Because you are lost. Why do all corridors look the same?
     
  8. You will have no idea what your students are talking about. They know a lot of slang and they’re not afraid to use it. In fact you may need to ask one of them to act as your translator for the day. But give it a week or two and you’ll be all over the lingo.
     
  9. There will be triumphs. When you feel invincible...
     
  10. ...And there will be disasters. When you'll think you're not cut out to be a teacher. Treat these two imposters just the same.
     
  11. Someone will test you. You're the new teacher in town. They want to see how far they can push their luck.
     
  12. You'll be desperate for a cup of tea. But too worried about using a colleague’s favourite mug by accident to make one. You’ll bring your own tomorrow.
     
  13. You'll finally get to see the wonder that is the staff room. So this is where your teachers have been hiding all this time...
     
  14. You'll survive. And you'll come back again tomorrow.
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