Teachers’ First Day of School

A story often overlooked is brought to the forefront. 

For students, the first day of school is a busy one, with them being all caught up in trying to find their classes and reconnect with their friends. But, as people rarely ask, what is the first day of school like for the teachers?

In late August, the highlighters and notebooks fly off the shelves in every store as students unenthusiastically prepare for their return to school. On the other hand are the teachers, reminiscing on their summer break while coming to school and setting up their classrooms. The excitement and nerves teachers hold for the start of a new school year are a perspective not often shown. 

Alexa Watkins-Lank, the American Sign Language teacher, shares what it is like being a new member of the New Roads community. Coming from a school with 100-minute class periods and larger class sizes, Watkins-Lank is adjusting to a new schedule and a tight-knit school culture that she is still getting to know.  

“Being new to the community, I wish my students knew that I need support from them as well. I’m a person too, and we need to have a mutual understanding for each other,” says Watkins-Lank. Her experience demonstrates the valuable role students have in making a teacher feel welcome. 

World Religions and 9th-grade English teacher, Mehnaz Eaden, had her 16th first day of school at New Roads this year. She began her day with her lucky boat shoes, a routine that brings comfort and familiarity. Despite having over a decade of experience, the first day never fails to surprise Eaden.

Shoes seem to be a recurring symbol on Eaden’s first day. She recalls her own first day of high school: “I bought a new outfit and my first day went great! I had good classes and made plenty of friends. But I had worn the wrong shoes. I don’t know why I remember that so specifically.”

When asked what she forgets about until the first day of school, Eaden said, “I always forget the amount of talking I have to do on the first day. Going over the curriculum and talking to students all day, I lose my voice, and I don’t realize that my voice is something I have to work out.” She starts her preparations multiple weeks before the school year begins, but the most difficult part is finding a purpose behind her teaching. “Every year I ask myself, ‘What the heck is the point of this class?” Eaden said.

The first day starts by handing out notebooks and syllabi, and Eaden gets to know her students with icebreakers. “I know they are cheesy and repetitive, but they truly help me get to know my students better,” Eaden said. In recent years, she has incorporated a more discussion-based approach to her teaching, creating a space where students can be more involved.

J Juelis, a teacher with over 30 years of experience, had his first official first day of school at New Roads this year. Last year, Juelis joined New Roads at the very end of September, diving headfirst into teaching the 10th-grade World Civ classes. “My first impression isn’t something I worry about,” says Juelis. “Some people will like me, and some won’t.”

J Juelis helping one of his students with a homework assignment. (Photograph: Sophia Roh)

Juelis’s routine over his thirty years of teaching has changed as well. At the beginning of his teaching career, it was encouraged to be strict and intimidating. “Now, I have an approach that tries to balance support with structure,” Juelis said. It is important to him that he meets students where they are and not where his students think they should be. For Juelis, the first day isn’t about setting expectations, but instead being there for his students and creating the foundation for the rest of the year. 

While students are experiencing a day of new classes and faces, teachers are also facing their own first day, filled with preparation, hope, and anticipation. After all, the start of a school year is not just about the students' returning, but the teachers having a fresh start as well.