Note to the Incoming First Years

Note to the Incoming First Years,

Welcome to the Mississippi Teacher Corps.  Are you ready for it?  Below I have compiled a list of do’s and don’ts for your induction to the Corps: Initial Summer Training:

Do realize Ben Guest owns you for the summer.
Do check the google calendar, it will be added to frequently, claiming more and more of your life by the day.
Do take the dorm furniture outside to play cards, chat, and sip on a beverage of your choice, enjoying warm Mississippi evenings.
Do check out Square Books
Do check out the gym
Do go for walks/runs/bike rides in and around Oxford
Do play ultimate frisbee at the park near campus
Do join MVP (Mississippi Vollyball Corps)
Don’t get stressed out if there are only 1-4 students in your summer school class
Do realize you will still get good practice writing lesson plans and trying out your teacher personality despite small class sizes
Do pick the brain of everyone you meet
Don’t worry when the advice is completely contradictory
Don’t spend more than three hours on any given lesson
Do keep it simple, silly
Do keep your health in mind.  Eat well, exercise.  
Do go to class on time, or fear the wrath of the highlighter
Don’t miss more days than allowed on the syllabus
Don’t worry when second years tell you that the school year is much more stressful than summer, it is, but they’re hating.  
Do take criticism constructively, but also seek out positive and encouraging mentors.
Do check out the library
Do visit Faulkner’s house
Do practice your introduction speech; you will have to repeat it a million times.
Do have fun folding paper in Ann’s class
Don’t swim in stagnate water and then get bitten by fire ants

Well I hope this list helps.  

Sincerely
Heather Kimmel