WARNING: Students are naughtier than they appear in the first day!

It's funny how easily you can conjure an image of something or someone you've never met, based solely on a description- sometimes a very unreliable one at that. Or how readily this image can metamorphose on a daily basis, with features added here or there, a certain aspect ridiculously exaggerated, or one completely disregarded. The more stories you hear, the more complex, detailed and vivid the image in your head becomes. Until you are no longer conscious that this image, as real as it may appear, is nothing more than a figment of your imagination....

And this, exactly, is what happened to me. Back in May, when I first knew I'd be teaching Grade 4 boys, I thought fondly of my to-be-students, dressed neatly in their uniforms, sitting in class with eager faces!
By the end of August, however, my image of a "typical 4th Grader" was a cross between Godzilla and Dracula!!!

So you can imagine the suspense I felt this morning as I walked into school.. yep, today the kids were coming! However, I wasn't gonna give any lessons, since on the first day they stay with their Advisor teacher (which I'm not- hmmm, how come they don't let me "advise" kids, I must say I feel offended:P). I was assigned on the corridors to show late comers into their classes and occasionally- and fruitlessly, I might add- tried to tear a crying first-grader away from his mommy!! (not pleasant)
As I was walking back and forth in the fourth Grade corridor, I ventured peaks into the different classrooms they were in and..... THEY WERE KIDS! TINY LITTLE KIDS! With big fat cute grins over their faces! You have NO idea the relief I felt at that moment. Every single worry I had before was instantly washed away to be replaced with utter excitement! I could NOT wait to have them in my class and experiment on them :D (oops, did I say that out loud? I meant experiment WITH them of course, you know, scientific stuff:P)

As the more experienced teachers warned me, those kids aren't as harmless as they seemed today. But I don't care, after that Godzilla-meets-Dracula image I had imprinted in my brain, ANYthing is an improvement!
Tomorrow I'll be having my first batch of students! Yay! wish me luck:D I'll let you know how it goes:)

As I promised, here are photos of my classroom, starting from the outside door (“Sahar” is my HOD, she teaches only one class so she uses my classroom. But since she’s my HOD and consequently controls my evaluation, I thought better than to risk getting on her bad side from day one by putting my name before hers:P wise, eh?) Also views from the inside.. A closed up on my classroom rules and reward system and stuff, just in case you're wondering!;) Oh and a few of the posters I hung up on the walls.

There's also a photo of my mug that says "Good Luck". It's funny really, I can't remember who gave me this mug. It was ages ago and I don't remember ever using it. The other day however I was going through the kitchen cabinet to choose a mug for work and there it was right in front of me:) I thought it was very appropriate, cuz God knows I'm gonna need loads of luck! (And in case you're wondering I don't use it to drink coffee, rather I drink green tea with honey- very wholesome indeed :D)

There are also photos of my bulletin boards, the one with the rockets and stars is a behavioral one. Each class will be divided into groups and they are supposed to reach to the top (the stars!). I’ll be keeping score and at the end of the semester I’ll be throwing a “pizza party” in class for the winning groups from all classes. Fun :D

Yes Dalia, these are the World magazines from when you were a kid yourself:) They are awesome, I got loads of great pictures and posters!

Well.. I guess that's enough for now, I have lesson plans to prepare for tomorrow! Gotta keep the little ones entertained;)