"It is an honour I dream not of. . . "

No, I'm not talking about marriage. Extra credit, though, to anyone who can identify this quote.

Tomorrow I have the honor of talking to all of the new English teachers in the district and filling them in on what to expect on their first year. There was one other woman chosen, so it's just the two of us. I'm supposed to talk about my first year in the district, professional development, and the new Freshman pilot program I'm involved in. My audience is made up of teachers in their first year to their umpteenth year, all new-hires. Some of them have been teaching years longer than I have. The only thing I really have or feel inclined to say, is don't worry if you're discouraged. You're doing better than you think you are and it's quite normal. Even if you are an experienced teacher, any new building is incredibly different, so you can imagine how different a district can be. Just keep going and don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm not sure if that will work, but those are my first thoughts.

My other first thought that I didn't make the cut was a piece of advice my mentor gave me last year. It went something like this, "It's your first year in the building. The only real expectation is that you don't let the kids set themselves on fire. As long as no one is burning, killed, or otherwise maimed, you're on the right track." That's probably the wisest and most helpful thing I heard all year, but probably not appropriate for a district meeting.

All in all, I'm still not exactly sure what I'm going to or should say. I'm trying to remember what the girl last year talked about, but I'm just kind of stuck. If all else fails there's always Q and A. I just hope I don't have to resort to that.

Wish me good luck, or at least best wishes.