Revving up with a run. I woke up at a quarter to five. I like to do a morning run to get my day going so I’m active and prepared for the first day. The whole time I was focused on what I should expect. I think of it as a sports team — I would be the coach and they would be my players — and that’s what I thought about during my run. I got to school at 6:40 a.m., which is the earliest that I’ve ever been there. I was trying to visualize seating, seeing what would work where. Do I need to adjust the Smartboard? Is there ample space for my students?

Riding the train to 3rd grade. The kids came into the auditorium and were pretty much scattered. I went and grabbed one student, and as I found the next I’d say, “Hop on Mr. O’s line,” and we formed a train that way. When we arrived at the classroom door, I made sure everyone was still in line and welcomed them to the third grade and their new home. That was the best part of the day: actually having my class and all my students. It was a brand-new beginning, a fresh start.

A class full of leaders. On the rug, we discussed the rules and expectations of the class. Because I teach in a self-contained special ed class, each child wants to feel that they’re important and that they have a role in that classroom. It’s important that every person discovers what they’re good in and what a leader means to the community. They can go home and tell their parents on the first day that they have a job and they have a role. I told them, when you go home and your parents ask you what you learned, make sure you tell them that you are a leader.

Settling in. I’m going to be honest, I was a little nervous in the beginning, but by the middle of the day I felt comfortable in my skin, like, “I can do this. We’re going to make it.” The most important thing is to bridge the gap between the teacher and the student. School is always going to be a safe haven, but if a student isn’t comfortable, it’s not going to be a pleasant learning experience. I knew a few of my students were into sports and cartoons, so I talked to them about the Miami Heat and Batman to make them feel comfortable in the classroom. A lot of people say I don’t smile, but when I’m with my students, I smile. My students make me happy.

A read-aloud and laughter. At the end of the day, I did a read-aloud with them, “The Kissing Hand.” I chose it because I felt they’re still at that age where they might feel like their parents are smothering them or embarrassing them, and I don’t want them to feel embarrassed. I even told them, “Today was my first day of school, and my mother gave me a kiss on the forehead.” They all started laughing. I honestly didn’t want to dismiss them yet. I felt like there was still a lot more to do with the class, but it was time to go home and their parents were waiting for them.