GREENSBORO, N.C. — For thousands of students, this is the first week of school. For many, this was their first, first week of school ever!
Just as special, is when it’s your first week of school as a first-year teacher.
"I felt called to do it for the longest time and I didn't know what that was when I was a kid I think my teachers represented peace and happiness and joy and I knew as a young kid I wanted to do that," says Lydia Newnum, a first-year teacher for Guilford County Schools.
I’ve known Lydia since she was born. I remember her first day of school. Because her parents were the first in our friend group to have kids, we all went to see her off on the first day of school. That’s right, there were six adults with one kid!
“You guys pumped me up a little bit. I felt like I could do this! I felt capable as a five-year-old to go to school because I had people around me, supporting me,” said Newnum.
Now, she’s hoping to support all the kids coming to her class for the first time.
Look around her room, it’s homey with a reading nook, twinkly lights, and a lot of encouraging words.
“Mistakes mean you're trying” and “Progress over perfection” are in picture frames at eye level so the kids can see them.
“I like the picture frames here, so everyone can see them. It's not just them, I can see them too," said Newnum.
There’s a sign in her room that welcomes what she calls, “super cool third graders”.
“I always loved school, that's kinda why I wanted to be a teacher. They'll be nervous, I'm nervous because it's something new but I think doing hard things with other people who have a common desire is good. They're here to learn, I'm here to learn just as much as they are,” said Newnum.
Is there anything this first-year teacher isn’t looking forward to?
“Packing my lunch. I'm awful at it. I hate packing my lunch but I will do it and have a good attitude about it,” said Newnum.