SCHOOL NERVES

The first day of school has always made me feel so nervous. I remember my stomach churned and I fretted about who my new teacher would be. But mother said I would be just fine and not to worry--but I did anyway. I have always been so nervous.

Last year, I stood in line at the second grade door and now I have to stand in line at the third grade door, and I am afraid that I will get mixed up like I did last year. So, I stood outside the school's door like a tin soldier with my arms straight down by my side and my head straight ahead so that the teachers would see what a nice girl I would be. But they did not seem to notice.

The teachers finally came to call roll and I secretly wanted the pretty teacher with the Ipana smile to call my name. She never did. The old teacher with the frowning face did. She did not look like she was going to be a bit of fun--so now I really felt nervous.

Then one day she said, "My, look how round your 'O' is." "Oh, your 'P' is perfect." "Wow, I like the way you color inside the lines." Then I noticed something sort of strange. Her frown turned upside down and I was surprised to see that she had an Ipana smile too. So now school does not make me nervous any more.

The first day of school has always made me feel so nervous. I remember the first day I taught school. I was so nervous that my head ached and I fretted about who my students would be. But my husband said I would be just fine and not to worry--but I did anyway. I have always been so nervous.

Last year, I taught third grade and now I will teach fourth and I am afraid that I might get mixed up like I did last year. I opened the school's door nervously and stood with the other teachers like a tin soldier with my arms at my side and my head straight ahead so that the children would see what a nice teacher I would be. But they did not seem to notice.

School was to begin and I secretly wanted to call the names of the students who were bright and shiny and had Ipana smiles, but they weren't on my list so I called on the students with frowning faces. They did not look like they were going to be a bit of fun--so now I felt nervous for sure.

Then one day, one of the students said, "My, look how nice your writing is." "Oh, I like the way you draw." "Wow, you really know how to read a good story!" So, now school does not make me nervous any more.