First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school at La Entrada.

In purely stereotypical terms, the first day of school means different things to different people. Students, for example, may verbally lament the fact that the summer’s over as they cheerfully interact with their fellow students and teachers. On the other hand, teachers may verbally lament the fact that the summer’s over as they cheerfully interact with their fellow teachers and students. Stay-at-home parental units enjoy the all-too-brief respite from their summer vacation that the typical school day brings. Even senior citizens are feeling the back-to-school vibe: There are way fewer skinny jeans-wearing, message phone-obsessed teenagers roaming around the malls these days.

For me, though, the first day of school represents something else entirely. In a time characteristically marked by a sense of renewed hope, unbridled optimism, and a fresh start, I can’t help but see the dawning of a new school year in somewhat less enthusiastic terms. Through my eyes, the beginning of school is symbolic of a period in my life when I ruled my little number-filled corner of the universe and when my words held the power to help unlock the middle school mathematical mysteries of the day. It symbolizes an era of professional joy, satisfaction, and creativity. These days, the first day of school represents the years I spent as a teacher and how, current circumstances being what they are (you know, with the ALS and all), I can never return to the front of a classroom again.

It’s not like I don’t miss it. I miss everything about it. And more.

I miss talking about math all day, every day. I miss creating and writing lessons. I miss grading tests and seeing that most of my students (thankfully) picked up at least a little something I taught them. I miss hearing my kids say, “Good morning, Mr. Picetti,” each day. I miss the privilege of getting to know each one of my students. I miss seizing that moment during class when the rest of the class fades to black except for me and that student struggling with a problem and slowly but surely we kick that problem’s sorry ass. I miss helping kids realize that math class doesn’t have to be boring or suck.

As much as I miss teaching, though, looking back on the first 366 days of my no longer being a teacher and the things I’ve learned about my friends, my family, my wife, my daughter, and most of all, myself, I know that the decision I made to call it quits on my teaching career was the absolute right thing to do, even if the first day of school is a bit rough.

Advertisement