The teacher stands in front of her new students on the first day of school. The classroom is organized, brightly decorated and clutter free. Notebooks and duotangs look crisp and the smell of freshly sharpened pencils is in the air. The room reminds her of a shuttle, with rows of anticipating passengers, ready to begin their adventure. The feeling is one of hope and anticipation. Even though the teacher has been in this position many times before, she is still excited and even a little nervous. Looking at all of the children’s faces as she begins her “Welcome to Grade 5” speech, she wonders who they are and who they will become.
Everything seems so easy in September, she thinks. The teachers around the school look rested and at ease, as if the long sunny days have fooled everyone into feeling that they are still on summer break. In the back of her mind, the teacher wonders if she can keep this feeling of easiness, knowing that the days ahead will bring challenges. This very tension is maybe what keeps her teaching, loving the newness, hope and unpredictability.
She and her colleague have joked about how the beginning of a new school year is like jumping into the cart of a rollercoaster ride. They begin the year at a slow and steady pace, climbing the hills and then holding on for dear life as they come down them at uncontrollable speed. In the midst of all the rattling and of the ups and down, the teachers struggle to keep their balance but they know that somehow they will stay on track. Exhausted and drained, having laughed and cried, there is a sense of pride and accomplishment in the end, that they have made it through yet another ride.
From Portfolio of Narrative Inquiry, CCFI 508, 2014