First-day-of-school anxiety is one of the most palpable memories most people have. The first-day-teaching anxiety may be less common but it’s no less intense. And while most of us have already had our first day teaching this semester, it’s worth repeating this now: “Those anxious feelings are normal.”

As Peter Kakela would tell you, they never really go away either. Kakela, a professor at Michigan State, still finds himself nervous at the start of a new semester and even doubting his ability to teach. He also voices one of the most common concerns among teachers of all experiences and abilities:

I want my classes to be fun—places where students receive good information and real insights that slide down easily. I want my students to grow and see how learning can be connected to things they already know. I want them to be creative and find a piece of themselves in the readings I have selected. Is there a textbook that tells teachers how to do this?

Does such a textbook exist? Probably not, though some try to sell their work by claiming it is just that. As you might notice checking out this blog, finding the balance between creativity and structure is an ongoing battle. How can we find that balance?

See more at of Kakela’s article at http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/start-up-anxiety-professor-shares-his-fears-as-a-new-semester-begins/#sthash.vC3i6gGi.dpuf