I Survived Parent Night

They filed into the student parking lot like worker bees, patiently waiting for spots to open, getting to the school early in order to grab a good seat in the gym. Tall, short, old, attractive, homely, businesswomen, homemakers, rich, poor, loud, quiet - they filled our halls and searched for room numbers, familiar faces, teachers to "look out for."

I just talked the entire time, didn't give them a moment to speak or ask questions. Just yammered away about the syllabus and classroom expectations and the Writer's Club I'm overseeing. Some shook their heads, others nodded off, two or three stared at the corner of the room where a cricket was chirping away.

"I've got a rogue cricket on the loose," I joked. About half laughed.

Two parents asked about specific incidents, detentions and grades thus far. I answered them with 8:30pm dry mouth and an eagerness to move on and get home. They got the point: I was going to be in touch throughout the year if needed.

As a first year teacher, this parent night went smooth as ice. So far I feel confident in my ability as an untrained teacher filling the role as the One who is going to teach the kids how to write and communicate effectively. This is, I think, my calling. And perhaps I gave off that vibe tonight. It could have been the tie - anyone will automatically respect a person wearing a tie.