Laugh at the Little Things

Though my first semester of teaching was a blur, it is defined by a sense of fun.

Dropped into a new city, school, and job with only eight weeks of teaching preparation, it is safe to say that the start of the year was…challenging. Three months after graduating college, I suddenly had the exact same responsibilities as my coworkers, many of whom were veteran teachers. I felt like an actor, pretending to be “Ms. B” on a stage while pushing “Sophia” to the sidelines. 

Then, classes began, and my whole world became my school: I felt surrounded on all sides by grading, lesson plans, and the challenges of designing my English curriculum. I’m not sure when, but things soon began to change. I fell into routine, and lesson planning became easier and easier. Suddenly, I had more free time to enjoy moments with my housemates and the wonders of the New Orleans area. One day in October, unremarkable from previous days, I was grading a classwork assignment, and it hit me how much I genuinely love my job. I teach 121 high school girls at the Academy of Our Lady, and they mean the world to me. Their smiles and sense of sisterhood were contagious: I began to appreciate their little comments, casual conversations in the hallway, and silly notes left for me on their quizzes. My job, once daunting and overwhelming, became a fount of joy. 

Despite my immense growth as a teacher these past few months, I unfortunately still struggle to keep a straight face in front of my students. The girls are hilarious, and they always know when I find them funny. Take it from me: if you put twenty-eight teenage girls into a room, they will not be afraid to voice their thoughts. Though this can lead to the classroom management challenge every teacher inevitably faces (TALKING), it has also created invaluable moments of joy and relationship-building. I am always so excited to go home and relay the hilarity, asking my housemates, “Guess what one of my students said today?”

Before Christmas break, I received a note from one of my students, Sarah. She wrote, “Even tho ur relatively new to teaching, I think ur doing a decent job. [Halfway through my first year of teaching, I’ll happily take “decent” to describe my educational capabilities.] Thx for enjoying the little comments on my work. I always thought I was trying too hard to be funny. But if you like my little remarks, I must be doing smth right.”

Despite the less-than sparkling review, this note filled me with great joy. I don’t always know if my daily greetings and the little quips I leave on their assignments reach them, but moments like this show me that they know they’re loved and appreciated for their true selves.

As a first-year teacher, I know that I still have many areas in which I can improve. Even so, I believe one of my strengths is creating a positive classroom culture, an environment in which my girls feel comfortable enough to be themselves. Laughter is a side effect of feeling safe. It is a blessing to tie education to joy, and I am grateful for every laugh in my classroom.

Despite the stress I faced at the start of the year, I am thrilled that laughter has become the defining aspect of my first semester. I pinned Sarah’s note on the wall directly next to my desk as a reminder to let my students shine, spread joy, and be themselves.

I wouldn’t trade my teaching experience for anything. Because of my students, I have learned to laugh at the little things. May the rest of the school year be guided by laughter and light for all teachers and students.