It’s been a weird few weeks and an odd couple of days in my life at The Mailbox. Don’t worry, your trusted Upper Grades Exchange blog author is in good health in general and good standing at work (last I checked). We’ve been moving offices within our space, and many of us have faced interesting upheaval. I haven’t been here all that long, but I did my best to accumulate a slew of personal possessions within my workstation.
I didn’t set out at any point to write about our office upheaval (which is progressing nicely, thanks for asking). But going through this move did remind me of a sometimes-difficult transition children face: arriving in a school as the new student in the middle of the year.
I moved a few times in my youth, but never in the midst of an academic calendar. Going to the first day of school as the new kid was a little easier than being the sore thumb on the midyear hand. Later, as a teacher, I had a few experiences with new students joining my class after September. The student never knew what he or she wanted (whether it was simply sliding into the routine or being announced to everyone like a big deal), the parents were uncertain, and we all ended up sorta feeling our way through it.
The end result? Well, I can’t recall anything tragic or even very negative. There were rough patches, to be sure, but I think that a class adopts its attitude from the top down. If the teacher (in this case, moi) handles it fluidly and with discretion and assurance, then the students do the same.
What is your experience with new students joining your class midyear?
Right now at themailbox.com, we’re featuring one of our tips for preparing for new students. Check out our New Student Organizer now!