Wow. Tomorrow is the twelfth day of school. Wow.

It has been a doozy, that's for sure. But I am still absolutely in love with it!

I am truly living the dream. I am teaching. This is something I've been working towards for quite some time, so it truly is amazing.

I have 83 students (and I'm actually losing three of those students to the gifted classes, about which I am excited for them and sad that they're leaving at the same time). I have one class with 22 students, only four of which are girls. Needless to say, it takes me quite a while to focus that class.

I am the only first-year teacher in the entire school. That's fun.

However, my students this year do not, and will not, know that. It does not make me any less of a teacher and allows me to find my ground and hit my stride without worrying.

The students amaze me in many ways every day. One boy gave me the rundown of what I had worn to school every day since the first day, shoes, jewelry and all. Woah. One girl was inspired to write poetry because of a first day of school poem I wrote and shared with the classes. One boy has asked me every day if I'm coming to the first football game. I have assured him every day that I am indeed coming.

I was offered the Assistant Cheerleading Coach positon, only to realize that I didn't need to take the offer, because teaching is my first job and I want to get out of survival mode before I take on extra work like that.

There is a senior Georgia College cohort student placed in the 8th grade with the students I had last year during my student teaching. She shares little tidbits of information and fun stories about them with me daily. It's a nice pick-me-up. The other day we were walking in the hallway and passed by my former babies. The senior student teacher said one of the kids said, "Look at Ms. Herring! She's such a real teacher. She looks so professional!"

I am slowly building a relationship with each student, which is an integral part of my teaching philosophy.

Things are slowly coming together. I am loving it! Some days are great! Some days not so much. It's about learning to love it anyway.