Things I Have Learned

1. Do not leave private things out. Children will touch and ask questions. (Miss T., why do you have medicine? Um...give it back please...)
2. Do not leave your good pens out. Children/other teachers may take them! (Now where is my green felt-tipped pen?)
3. If you must reprimand a "cool" kid, do so in front of their friends. Then you can smirk when they all say "Dude, here comes that teacher!" and they shoot you scared looks.
4. Befriend the custodians and the copy-room workers.
5. Completely fill out your time sheet correctly (for us hourly wage workers). Do not try to get extra hours; it will not work! (But it wasn't on purpose, I swear!)
6. "Extra duty" sounds intimidating, but pays much, much more than you could ever hope for. ($23.40 an hour for watching kids eat lunch????)
7. Say "Good Morning" to everyone from the secretary to the school psychologist. You never know when you might need something!
8. Volunteer to get noticed by the principal. Anyone up for some Carnival Fun??
9. Learn where the nearest Starbucks is. This is not optional.
10. Some kids will just melt your heart. "Miss T taught me how to write my name in cursive!!!!! I can do something!!!" (How could you not just go "awwwww"??)

So 2 weeks into this, and I think I've got a pretty good handle on things. I'm really thrilled things are going so well! I now just need that first paycheck (next Friday!!) and things will be MUCH better in checkbook land. Hurray!