ITP - 35: First Day of School Stories

Greg: So we're thinking, Matt—we're thinking instead of just one first day like this year, we can include first days from teaching. We've been teaching for many years now, and it could be a first day from many of the schools—stories like that. We'll focus on getting ready for the first day.

Matt: As you see, you talk like you're trying to lure a co-ed home from Bingo. What would you like to do? That was like to start us off. You need to change it, Martin—like bringing her home from the VFW sort of—yeah, from Bingo.

Greg: Exactly. Hey, I like your stamp, and gosh, you know how I got over my trailer? I got some PBRs. We can go back and it'll be a lot of fun. Can I put my tater tots in your oven?

Kent: I've rarely seen Kent speechless laughing. I really rarely have. All right, I love that. I'm a big dumb idiot. Okay, do you want to get going?

Matt: All right, here we go. All right, ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome you back after a short and long time. We're rolling into season two and we've been found in over 100 countries. That's right—you guessed it. This is the International Teacher Podcast, and we are glad to be back and with you. This is Matt, the Family Guy, and I'm joined by—

Kent: Yeah, it's the Cat Guy.

Greg: And as usual, I am Greg, the single guy. It's so great to have you back, man. Isn't it, Kent?

Kent: Oh my gosh, yeah. This is only our second or third episode, all three of us. This is the special season two trio. We'll call this the director's cut for season two.

Greg: Bringing everybody back in—it was our sponsors that needed to bring all three of us back, because that's what they found really brought the most listeners in. By the way, speaking of sponsors, if you haven't picked up your copy of the now famous international book—Kent, what was that book called?

Kent: Finding the Right Fit.

Greg: Wherever you buy your books. Who's the author of that book?

Kent: That would be our very own Greg.

Greg: So good to have you both. For those of you that are looking into this overseas adventure, that would be a great place to start—in the event that you don't want to listen to us talk.

Greg: So gentlemen, we haven't been together for a while. I know the last time we recorded was, what, early May or something like that?

Matt: Yep, early May. Then we kind of wrapped up the school year and we all kind of went our separate ways for the summer. And then for you guys, you actually started school today. It was your first day of school, and it was my first day of not having the first day of school.

Greg: Come on, explain that a little bit more to our listeners here, Matt.

Matt: Hang on, I want to hear from you guys first about rolling into your first day, and then we can talk about that. Because the beginning of the school year—for people who are teachers—they know what a crazy, hectic time of year it can be. Why don't you guys share a little bit about what your run-up was like?

Kent: Okay, well I'll start off. My routine for the first day of the school year is usually to take it easy. I did my bulletin boards—I had a manga theme this year, one of my passions. Got the room all set up, and I just waited for them to roll in.

Kent: Now, I will say that while I started the day off fresh and new, I forgot how much energy it takes to be a teacher. By noon, I was ready for my nap, and by the end of the day, I actually took my nap.

Greg: How long was this nap?

Kent: Two and a half hours.

Greg: Holy—ha.

Matt: I think he was underneath the desk at about 1:30 in the afternoon.

Greg: Some sort of training routine before we jump into teaching—calisthenics, running laps, stretching it out. We’ve got to work on the voice. Break, smoke break, coffee break—you’ve got to get those things ironed out all within a span of five and a half minutes. Those fourth graders really need a smoke break, don’t they?

Kent: By noon they’re ready.

Greg: There you go.

Greg: Well, in all jesting—you are a fourth grade homeroom teacher, Kent. Matt used to teach middle and high, and elementary school at different times. He’s moving on. But I actually changed my job a little bit, and it’s not really clear yet how it’s going to work out.

Greg: I did a lot of technology support this time. I was running around like a one-armed paper hanger. I stopped in on Kent and completely interrupted one of his discussions with his kids. It was great.

Kent: Slightly before you came in, we were visited by our school mascot. So I told the students that today we were visited by a big, hairy, furry person—as well as a horse.

Greg: You were the hairy person.

Kent: I was the hairy friend. No one’s ever called me hairy before, but yeah.

Greg: That’s quite a segue. They handed out hats at our school, Matt. They handed out hats for all the kids.

Matt: I thought it was for the teachers.

Greg: It was for teachers too. Now all of them look like our second grade teacher, Mr. T, that always wears one of those fishing brim hats.

Greg: Anyway, we all have these blue hats now. I was going in and out all day helping people. A lot of teachers didn’t test their tech, so we had this 911 list of emergencies—YouTube not working, videos not playing, music not streaming.

Greg: That was my hectic day.

Greg: I do have to say one thing though. Tech support started at 3:40 in the morning.

Matt: Wow.

Greg: When you live overseas and you get a call at 3:40 in the morning, you think it’s an emergency. I thought something was wrong with my family.

Greg: Nope. My dad calls and says, “Greg, I need some tech help. How do I open this video?” It’s a video I sent him. He’s already watched it a hundred times.

Greg: So I started my first day of school doing tech support for my dad at 3:40 in the morning.

Greg: When you move overseas, set some rules. Don’t call at 3:40 unless it’s an actual emergency.

Greg: That was my day.

Greg: Let’s talk about you, Matt. What are you doing?

Matt: Funny you should mention the phone call thing. As I was going to sleep, my phone rang around midnight. It was my brother—the one who never calls. So you immediately think something’s wrong.

Matt: There was a mild medical issue, but everything turned out fine. Still, that feeling hits you when you’re overseas.

Matt: This is my third official day of work. Last year was my last year in education. I moved to the corporate side of the company, working in leadership and development.

Matt: I’m out of the classroom, working with adult professionals now. It’s incredibly different, exciting, and fun. After 24 and a half years, it’s something new.

Matt: And honestly, it feels like the options are wide open.

Greg: Looks great on a resume. And all those strategies you used with middle schoolers—they work on adults too.

Matt: You guys are relentless.

Matt: But here’s the thing—people outside education have no idea what goes into the start of a school year. I walked into the building today with my coffee, and teachers were just flying around in chaos mode.

Matt: But they always pull it off. It’s an incredible amount of work that doesn’t get enough recognition.

Greg: We’re the heroes they need, but not the ones they deserve.

Greg: Also, Matt—your wife Stacey is teaching fourth grade, and you’ve got four kids all starting school.

Matt: Yeah—fifth grader, twins in second grade, and a kindergartener starting soon.

Greg: That’s a big day.

Matt: It was awesome. The kids were pumped. And when a middle schooler is excited—that’s rare.

Greg: Yeah, that fades fast.

Greg: I had a second grader recognize me today and ask if I taught him before. I had to pretend I remembered him. I didn’t.

Greg: Names are tough on day one.

Kent: It takes me a while to get warmed up.

Matt: I can’t believe you guys are still upright. I was ready for bed at 7:15.

Greg: Your schedule is going to change now.

Matt: Yeah, but now I have to be on my A game. You can’t fake it in front of adults like you can sometimes with kids.

Greg: Do adults heckle?

Matt: I hope so—that’s part of the fun.

Greg: One of my students asked if I would teach her how to podcast.

Greg: I told her, “Aim higher. Aim for ITP.”

Kent: I thought you were insulting us.

Greg: Not at all.

Greg: I have a former student doing a podcast now about third culture kids called Across Oceans.

Matt: We interviewed her, didn’t we?

Greg: We did. I forgot.

Matt: We should take credit as her inspiration.

Greg: We’re not the heroes she wants, but we’re the heroes she needs.

Greg: All right, my first day of teaching—shirt and tie, fancy school. I go to the bathroom before class, and my zipper breaks.

Greg: Completely broken. No hiding it.

Greg: I grab a binder clip, clip my pants shut, and greet students.

Greg: About the tenth student says, “Do you know there’s a binder clip on your pants?”

Greg: That was my first day.

Matt: Mine—I was terrified. First hour, no idea what I was doing. Asked my aide if it went okay. She said yes. I said, “Okay, I guess I’m a teacher now.”

Greg: Let me tell you about Honduras. First day, 32 kids, no prep, parents everywhere, bags of supplies.

Greg: Then sirens go off. I tell the kids, “Go look if you want.” Half of them run out.

Greg: Turns out it’s seniors arriving on a fire truck.

Greg: Total chaos. First day.

Greg: Later that year, hummingbird flies into the room. Kids suggest grabbing it by the beak. I do. It works.

Greg: Lesson learned—embrace interruptions.

Kent: That’s how we handled Uncle Larry.

Greg: Grab him by the beak and send him home.

Greg: If you’ve got first day stories, reach out to us—ITP Expats on Twitter, Instagram, or email.

Matt: Send us ideas too.

Greg: We’ve got listeners all over the world—my mom included.

Greg: Before we go, check out Real Teaching 101 podcast. Great for new teachers.

Matt: And Greg’s on it.

Greg: From Indonesia, early morning recording.

Greg: Great show—check it out.

Greg: I’m glad to have Matt back.

Matt: Good to be back.

Kent: Until next time—you’re dismissed.

Matt: I’ll come up with something better next time.

Greg: Thanks for listening to ITP. Greg the single guy, Matt the Family Guy, Kent the Cat Guy.

Greg: Don’t forget to buy the book—Finding the Right Fit.

Greg: I refuse to bow to corporate sponsors.

Matt: Clearly we’re professionals.

Greg: Thanks for listening to the International Teacher Podcast.