You're not going to believe this, but...

They're LISTENING to me! I mean it, they really are! I know it's only day three, but really--even before the first breakdown last year, none of them listened to a word I said. Didn't DO a thing I said, be it behavioral or academic. It's like they can SMELL a new teacher. Today I stepped out of the room for a second, and they started getting rowdy doing who knows what, and when I stepped back in the doorway to eye them, a hush fell over the room. I never thought that day would come, and it may never come again, but it happened today: the unthinkable. I saw signs of fear. I think it's the worm. They all think I'm going to cast a voodoo hex on them.

One more thing about school and then I'm not going to blog about teaching everyday, I promise. I got two of my students from last year! I was elated (believe it or not) to see two familiar faces in those desks. Two precious Hispanic students that I adore. One tiny, squirty boy who is the light of my life (ever since he came running up to me during a test frantically calling out with a heavy accent, "Miss H, my pen! My pen! MY PEN! It...it...it...it ran out of PAINT!") One huge 8th grader came looking for me in the hall before school this morning just to tell me that one of my students from my old school had come here--and he had the little guy in tow. I about jumped out of my skin.

Anyway, that's all. Goodnight, friends.