You know you're tired when...

...You're too tired to come up with a proper rant about the lack of proper school supplies in your new building. Sorry yesterday's post was so lame.

We do, however, now have a nice shiny, brand new scantron machine in our workroom. Hallelujah!

Back to School Night tonight. This is a curious phenomenon. When I was a student (all those many years ago), I remember my parents going off to my elementary school to meet my teachers. I think one year we made cutouts of ourselves to put at our desks so our parents knew where we sat. That may have been for Mrs. Paley's first grade. Hey, Mrs. Paley, if you're out there: Thanks! You were awesome.

Anyway, I don't remember my parents going to BTSN when I was in high school. They can correct me if they wish (and they will), but I don't think we had it. So it's interesting that here we do have it. The other interesting thing is who comes. I think we will have a pretty big turn out, just because this is a new school, and the parents want to check us out. It's a wee bit like coming to see the animals in their natural habitat. However, this time, please feel free to give the animals chocolate and coffee. (Yes, pump the teachers up on legal stimulants, what a great idea.) In years past, I have consistently had a pretty big turnout of parents - and not just one, but both. I always have a lot of my AP parents come - they want to make sure I'm not going to ruin their child's chances of getting into UVA or something. No fear - I know what I'm talking about (crash, bang, boom, as I trip over the wires in the front of the room in a classic Lucy Ricardo-esque stumble).

However, I think BTSN scares the kids to death. Yesterday in 7th period (our most rambunctious, but pretty much on task class), we asked them if their parents would be coming tonight, and they said "NO!" with horrified expressions on their faces. I think that they think the parents are coming to find out how they are each doing in class - like one great big tattle tale or something. No fear, fair students...they're just here to check us out. If anything, we should be the ones saying "NO!" with horrified expressions on our faces!

BTSN is grueling, it is long, and frankly, it's a little scary. It's one thing to get up in front of a bunch of 16 and 17 year olds, but parents.... At any rate, this is my 7th BTSN, so you'd think I'd be really good at this by now. I don't know how much sense I make when I get up there - I tend to go into a caffeine & terror-fueled rant...err, ramble (not much better, I know), and then before I know it, my 10 minute speech has been completed in 5 minutes. How's that for instilling confidence!? Still, it must work, because most parents seem pretty satisfied by the time they leave the room. Or at least they aren't running to the Guidance department demanding that their child be pulled out of that crazy lady's classroom.

I think this BTSN is going to be especially important - like all the other firsts this year (first pep rally, first day of school, first football game, first fire drill...the list goes on and on) - it will help to set the tone for what our school is about. Our principal is very big on setting tone and establishing who we are. He wants us to be ... well, almost like a beacon. It's so important to him that this school be a place where people feel safe, where students and parents know they will be getting a quality education, and where our students have lots of school spirit but are also respectful of others, their school and their country. (Insert waving flag and grandiose music in the background here) I'm not nervous about BTSN yet - there's still the whole school day to get through, but get back to me at about 3:30 this afternoon, after the kids have gone, and when I can't grade one more essay without my eyes falling out of my head. (Yes, I know, I assigned them, thanks very much, so I've only got myself to blame.)

My tips for surviving BTSN:

1. Get a good night's sleep the night before. Well, that's shot - I exercised too late last night, so was up 'til 11:30.
2. Wear comfortable shoes during the day (my sneaks ain't comin' off 'til the parents get here)
3. Wear a comfortable, but professional looking outfit (I love my new school clothes. Yes, I am such a girl)
4. Try to take a walk away from the building for at least 15 minutes - get out in the sun.
5. Have an agenda, and something for the parents to fill out.
6. Try to have student work on the walls if possible.
7. Relax and smile - the parents love you for what you do, they just want to make sure you're ok.
8. It'll be over soon, and tomorrow you can go to bed at 6pm if you want.