Getting a rhythm.

So all the procedures have been explained, rules lined out, and needs given. It is now time to teach science! Monday was a little hectic. How am I going to do this? Should I have a group activity for every subject, everyday? What about a fun and informative game? Time for review? I only have 46 minutes a class period. Will I run out of time? Can I get as far into the material as I want to? What do I do if I don't? Oops, forgot about the meeting that will take half of my students from one of my classes for the entire period. Oh yeah, then there is the field trip tomorrow that will take about a quarter of my students for the whole day ( including 2/3rds of one of my classes). How will I get them their notes? How will I remember all the things that I emphasized apart from my presentation? Will the ones that miss be able to understand every thing that I want them too without me emphasizing it to them? No pressure. No stress. No problems. Just part of the job of preparing today's youth for the future. Seasoned teachers handle these kind of things all the time with a smile and ease. Now if you will pardon me while I go weep and shiver while sitting in the fetal position in the dark corner of the custodians closet.


Yesterday and today (Tuesday and Wednesday) were much better. Seemed like I was in a rhythm most of the day. Moved at a pretty good pace, while always looking for signs of confusion, dismay, anger, apathy, malaise, revolt, revolution, and/or frustration ( only seen a few). Checked for questions often. Tried to relate the content to the interests of my students, and tried very hard not to be boring. Or dull. Or overly peppy. Or annoying. Or nit-picky. Or a rug to be walked over. Wow. A week and a few days with students, and I'm wondering why I didn't start doing this right out of college. I love this job.

The first week. More or less.

So, today is Thursday and I have pretty much finished my first week teaching. Tomorrow I am going over the laboratory procedures, protocols, and safety. I think that the week went well. I did have a few instances where I thought that I was running out of material to go over before the end of the class periods, but I usually had enough to make it to the end. My classroom procedures are very detailed and I think that some of my students were surprised at that. As the week progressed, a couple classes appeared to be testing me as to whether or not I would be strict when it came top enforcing them. I may have eased back from them somewhat, and that may burn me before the year is up. I want my students to be comfortable in my class and exchanging ideas with each other and me. I just need to keep them on task and reigned in as far as the open conversation goes.

Lesson planning is something that I am still apprehensive about. It's not that I don't think that I can develop them, it's just that I have a tendency to be very, very detailed when it comes to writing them out. That tokes a lot of time. Between prepping for four different subjects, getting all the materials and equipment together for labs and, sometimes, class, taking care of being a student and completing the assignments related to my graduate program, and spending time with my family (wife and 3 children, the youngest of which is almost 8 months old) along with all the other responsibilities that come with every day life (church, parents, siblings, in-laws, friends, etc.), my time is stretched to say the least. I am just very thankful that I have a spouse that is very supportive, helpful, understanding, loving, patient, and a great resource (she is a 10 year veteran teacher).

Welcome to The Rachuy Report

Hello everyone! Just a brief introduction to get us started. My name is Ryan R. Rachuy ( the last name is pronounced Ray-chee). I am a high school science teacher at Johnson County Westside High School in Coal Hill, Arkansas. I teach Physics, Chemistry, Environmental and Physcal Science. This is my first year teaching and I am very excited to see if I can accomplish what I have set out to do. My goal is to instill in my students at least a small, donated spark of my passion for science and try to nurture it into a blaze of desire for the subject. Before teaching, I worked as a Cytotechnologist for 8 wonderful years. The people that I worked for and with were terrific and have only helped me in everything that I have learned and grown from, including moving toward a career in education. I hope with this blog I am able to give an incite into the world of a novice educator. So buckle-up, the year has just begun.