First Days of Class

This week was the first day of each class. I knew that the BabyKids class would be kinda a drag. You have to start at the very beginning. You have to do everything 3 times so that they get it. And you can't really do any "jokes", cuz they don't know what the norm is, so they can't think it's funny if you do something outside the norm. What I had forgotten to anticipate was the "Fear Factor". Not only do I look different from anyone they have ever met before, but everything is different. So many kids just cried. And cried and cried. Every class had at least one. And I had to put on this exceeding dorky "Isn't everything just so sweet" face for every class. I'm just not used to that. The 4 and 5 year old classes had a different set of problems. Most of them had never done a class without their mothers before. So even outgoing, spunky kids were confused by their own emotions. Then there is the LG1 class. On Thursdays I have 17 kids in that class, and on Saturday I have 3. How am I supposed to adapt a lesson plan designed for up to 20 kids to 3 kids. And one of the three was a crybaby and wouldn't leave her mother. I let her get away with that this week, but next week I put my foot down. I haven't had my first LG2 class yet, but I'm very hopeful...even though I lost my best students. My LG3 class was very interesting. I have 5 students left over from last year. Four of them will do well by taking it all again. But Toshitaka was the best student in the class last year, he's miles ahead of all the other students. I'm going to have to come up with separate things for the 2nd year students to do after they complete their assignments. I figure I'll teach them cursive. The girls will love that. But I'm going to have to come up with something more advanced even than that for Toshi. Oh, and the only 2 kids to graduate from my LG2 class to my LG3 class were the worst students in the previous class and are no way ready for this class. And I plan on making them both work their butts off. This week has been exhausting. It'll get better. Right?