Read I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had for Free Online Page B

Foxx
.
            •
Keep your sense of humor & all that makes you the charismatic figure that you are. Your persona will carry you in the classroom just as it does in life. Be yourself. Tell a fart joke
.
            • Never
embarrass a student in front of others. Embarrass yourself, often to relieve the tension, but
do not
paint them into a corner. It’s only High School. Sure it will follow them for the rest of their lives, but so will their families, friends, talents, experiences, etc
.
            •
Now here’s the kiss of death. After each lesson, sit down by yourself & think, “If my son or daughter were correctly rostered to this class, would I be comfortable with the lesson & the effort I put forth today?”
                
• If your answer is
yes,
you can sleep tonite. Whatever the answer, ask yourself what went well, what didn’t, how could I do it better, etc. The best teachers never rest on their laurels
.
            
• Other topics for the first days, the first year include:
                •
KISS—Keep it simple stupid
                •
FACE—To stay awake
do not
put your hands or any object anywhere near your face
                •
SINCERITY—If you can fake that, the rest will flow freely
    The only kids still at NEHS that I taught are for the most part Seniors in the Magnet program. I was cited in “Who’s Who in American High Schools” 3 times since it started printing. Nominations come only from Students who either made the National Honor Society or went on to get honors in the first 2 years of college
.
The first kid who nominated me, Robert Williams, was smart, barely made an effort & had @ an 88 avg. I thought he hated me & the class. Turns out I gave him one of his lowest grades
.
    When I asked him why he nominated me, he said, “because we worked every day, you always came prepared, you always did your best & you never gave up on anyone, not even those that deserved it.” Wouldn’t mind that being my 1 sentence legacy
.
    Heard you are only teaching one 10th grade class for 13 weeks. You’ll be great. You put on a talk show. What could be harder than that??? Good luck Tony, I know you will do well
.
    Respectfully Yours
,
Harry Gilbert

Three

 
Do Now
    M S . D ENAPLES has me on truancy duty. For the first hour of the school day, I’m to circle the campus wrangling stragglers. If parents drop their kids off late, I’m supposed to tell the parents it’s their job to get their children to school on time. If kids are dawdling, I’m to personally escort them. “Whatever it takes.” As she says this, Ms. D. puts her hands on her hips for emphasis.
    Confronting students about being late is not my idea of fun. These are probably not the honor roll kids, and they don’t know me from Adam, but I don’t dare try to wriggle out of it. I’ll work this beat with Ms. D. every morning for the rest of the week and periodically throughout the year. “Truancy and tardiness are no laughing matter, Mr. Danza.”
    “Yes, Ms. DeNaples.” I can’t help wondering if anything
is
a laughing matter for Ms. DeNaples, but far be it from me to test her. I decide that if the kids and parents wonder who I am to be telling them to get to school, I’ll say Ms. DeNaples is all over me and put the same fear in them that I feel. If some of the tough kids act up, I can always call my camera crew for backup. Yes, some of these guys trulyscare me. A few have tattoos up their necks, and struts that not even Eminem could match. They make Al G look easy, which I’m still hoping he might actually be. I just have to remember that they’re only kids. But as we patrol the school grounds, I see in Technicolor what America’s schoolteachers and school administrators are up against.
    Even though the bell has rung, way too much of the student body is still outside. A few kids are racing to class, but others are taking their sweet time. A pod of