I didn't really know what to expect on meet the teacher night. I was very nervous. I had spent the whole day getting my room ready. When five aclock came along I quickly changed into a nice dress and waited for my students to arrive. The anticipation was agonizing. I could see from my room the students and parents arriving. I didn't know which ones would end up being mine.
my palms were sweating by the time my first student came. I dont recall who as first because it all was such a blur. I think in all, sixteen out of 29 came. The parents were real sweet but I could tell they were sizing me up, especially the fathers. I dont know why. I just got the defensive vibe from the fathers who came while the mothers were friendly and talkative. Some of the parents wanted to talk my ear off about their child, what I could expect, what they were hoping for me to do and so on while others just wanted to meet me and go home.
Someone told me before the night began that I should fake it until I make it. I am still thinking about that one. I am not so sure my parents would want to know if their teachers had to fake it. I have to admit though, that night I wondered if I was right for the job. It is scary to be in charge of 29 students education. I left there determined to not fake it ever if I could. I wanted to be what they were hoping for, for them and for me.
Your Teacher
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Let the Crazyness Begin
Ok so tomorrow I will go to my school and meet the rest of the employees and get orientated. I have to be there at 7 a.m. bright eyed and bushy tailed. I have to up date you on my latest drama. Its kind of funny and so "just my luck."
I was eating corn nuts, you know those incredibly hard salty snacks that probably are best left on the store shelf...yeah, well I decided to eat a few and I broke my damn tooth. I was eating the crunchy snack when it felt like I had wedged a piece of it between one of my back molars. I went to investigate in a mirror when I couldn't get the stubborn crumb out with my finger nail and I discovered it was pretty tightly wedged. I reached for one of those flossing sticks and picked at it....then low and behold the piece came free, along with a chunk of my tooth. It broke all the way down o the gum line. I could not believe it. So I get to start tomorrow worrying about when I will be able to get to a dentist. I don't want to miss work on the first week!
I am so worried now. As if I don't have enough to worry about. My team leader says not to worry about it that I just need to focus on getting my tooth fixed before next Monday. I agree. I can not imagine trying to teach with a broken tooth or worse yet, it could get infected. So, that's what is on my mind right now. I just got my boys off to bed. They all start school tomorrow. The oldest will be starting high school. Part of me wishes I could be here to see them off and see them get off the bus at the end of the day but I will be on my own adventure a whole town away before they even leave the house.
This is a part of my apprehension. I know what I am doing is right for us, its the best I could be doing right now. A lot of people are losing their jobs and I am beginning one. I am very lucky. But I worry if my family is ready for all the changes. I think they are. I hope they are, but only time will tell how well they are adjusting. My youngest son will have to go to day care twice a week, which isn't bad considering alot of kids his age go five days a week. He is excited though. He went last semester when I was student teaching and he loved it. He calls it his wee! Its funny because we were out today and he actually asked if he could go to his wee. I couldn't help but smile. I hope his excitement for it lasts the entire year.
So I have scavenged my closet for the right first day outfit. I don't want to use any of the really good outfits until I actually start teaching. I also do want to be too over dressed because its just orientation and I want to be comfortable. A lot of people have warned me about over dressing. Its hard to know where that comfy middle line is. What is too much and what is too little. Fortunately, my school is pretty relaxed about it or so I hear. For tomorrow I will test the waters and dress somewhere in the middle of nice and casual. Hopefully I will get it right. Well now I have the challenge of getting my youngest so to sleep. I highly doubt it will happen though. See you next time.
Your Teacher
I was eating corn nuts, you know those incredibly hard salty snacks that probably are best left on the store shelf...yeah, well I decided to eat a few and I broke my damn tooth. I was eating the crunchy snack when it felt like I had wedged a piece of it between one of my back molars. I went to investigate in a mirror when I couldn't get the stubborn crumb out with my finger nail and I discovered it was pretty tightly wedged. I reached for one of those flossing sticks and picked at it....then low and behold the piece came free, along with a chunk of my tooth. It broke all the way down o the gum line. I could not believe it. So I get to start tomorrow worrying about when I will be able to get to a dentist. I don't want to miss work on the first week!
I am so worried now. As if I don't have enough to worry about. My team leader says not to worry about it that I just need to focus on getting my tooth fixed before next Monday. I agree. I can not imagine trying to teach with a broken tooth or worse yet, it could get infected. So, that's what is on my mind right now. I just got my boys off to bed. They all start school tomorrow. The oldest will be starting high school. Part of me wishes I could be here to see them off and see them get off the bus at the end of the day but I will be on my own adventure a whole town away before they even leave the house.
This is a part of my apprehension. I know what I am doing is right for us, its the best I could be doing right now. A lot of people are losing their jobs and I am beginning one. I am very lucky. But I worry if my family is ready for all the changes. I think they are. I hope they are, but only time will tell how well they are adjusting. My youngest son will have to go to day care twice a week, which isn't bad considering alot of kids his age go five days a week. He is excited though. He went last semester when I was student teaching and he loved it. He calls it his wee! Its funny because we were out today and he actually asked if he could go to his wee. I couldn't help but smile. I hope his excitement for it lasts the entire year.
So I have scavenged my closet for the right first day outfit. I don't want to use any of the really good outfits until I actually start teaching. I also do want to be too over dressed because its just orientation and I want to be comfortable. A lot of people have warned me about over dressing. Its hard to know where that comfy middle line is. What is too much and what is too little. Fortunately, my school is pretty relaxed about it or so I hear. For tomorrow I will test the waters and dress somewhere in the middle of nice and casual. Hopefully I will get it right. Well now I have the challenge of getting my youngest so to sleep. I highly doubt it will happen though. See you next time.
Your Teacher
Friday, August 6, 2010
Preperation
There has been so much going on since I received the job offer. First of all, it never seems real. It wasn't until I signed my contract that I believed it was actually real. But, even then I felt like I was on a rug that could be pulled out from under me at any time.
The reason I felt that way is because they had said when they hired me that at any time, if Kindergarten didn't get the numbers they needed, they would have to lay me off. I took the job knowing full well, all my dreams could be crushed by the simple act of staff shuffling. Today I feel safe.
This week I got my keys and I was told the numbers are better than good. I am safe! So, with my own children in tow and my keys in my hand I embraced a dream come true. I have a job, I have a class and I have students. this is truly going to happen. My team leader, I will call her 007 for the purpose of this blog. Trust me, there is a reason behind that. I am not just pulling a name from a hat. Anyway, 007 gets very emotional about me being a brand new teacher. She actually tears up when she sees me. This year is special for the both of us. She is finding herself in the team leader position after only three years of teaching with two newbies under her wing. It is really exciting for all of us. Stepping into my room was truly unreal.
I opened the door with ease and my eyes and mind left on a whirlwind adventure. My eyes scoped out my new stomping ground with eagerness. My mind raced. Where does a new teacher begin. How does a new teacher begin. I had no idea what to do first. It was really scary. My kids were slapping me high fives and I was simply over joyed. I began with going through things. I had no idea what I needed or even what I had for that matter. I still don't know what I have in that closet of supplies. I have spent quite a bit of money so far, but I am happy to do so but with a paycheck several weeks away I am really tapped out.
That kind of worries me because I know I could use some more stuff. My husband has made me a chart stand by hand, which I needed. I found one small bookshelf in my room but no chapter books. The thing that astonishes me is you have to have books in your room so your kids can read and take tests but the books aren't provided. I have scoured my town looking for things I can use. I found about a hundred chapter books but they don't even fill one shelf on my tiny book shelf. The district gives each teacher a two hundred dollar spending allowance but that was nearly completely eaten up by the purchase of maps for the wall. I was able to get alot of basic stuff like pencils, white boards, sentence strips and the like but there are still things I need.
I need shelves for supplies and organization and bulletin board stuff and other storage containers and the reason it is a need is because an organized classroom runs better. If a classroom runs smoother then the kids will learn better. I am not just being over prepared. I am truly doing what is necessary. But when the funds run out, what can you do. You have to just work with what you have.
On Monday I will begin my job. I will go for the first time to meet the staff and do meetings, training and orientations. The meetings will be all week long. I am excited. On the 12th of August I will be having my meet the teacher night.....talk about scary!!
The reason I felt that way is because they had said when they hired me that at any time, if Kindergarten didn't get the numbers they needed, they would have to lay me off. I took the job knowing full well, all my dreams could be crushed by the simple act of staff shuffling. Today I feel safe.
This week I got my keys and I was told the numbers are better than good. I am safe! So, with my own children in tow and my keys in my hand I embraced a dream come true. I have a job, I have a class and I have students. this is truly going to happen. My team leader, I will call her 007 for the purpose of this blog. Trust me, there is a reason behind that. I am not just pulling a name from a hat. Anyway, 007 gets very emotional about me being a brand new teacher. She actually tears up when she sees me. This year is special for the both of us. She is finding herself in the team leader position after only three years of teaching with two newbies under her wing. It is really exciting for all of us. Stepping into my room was truly unreal.
I opened the door with ease and my eyes and mind left on a whirlwind adventure. My eyes scoped out my new stomping ground with eagerness. My mind raced. Where does a new teacher begin. How does a new teacher begin. I had no idea what to do first. It was really scary. My kids were slapping me high fives and I was simply over joyed. I began with going through things. I had no idea what I needed or even what I had for that matter. I still don't know what I have in that closet of supplies. I have spent quite a bit of money so far, but I am happy to do so but with a paycheck several weeks away I am really tapped out.
That kind of worries me because I know I could use some more stuff. My husband has made me a chart stand by hand, which I needed. I found one small bookshelf in my room but no chapter books. The thing that astonishes me is you have to have books in your room so your kids can read and take tests but the books aren't provided. I have scoured my town looking for things I can use. I found about a hundred chapter books but they don't even fill one shelf on my tiny book shelf. The district gives each teacher a two hundred dollar spending allowance but that was nearly completely eaten up by the purchase of maps for the wall. I was able to get alot of basic stuff like pencils, white boards, sentence strips and the like but there are still things I need.
I need shelves for supplies and organization and bulletin board stuff and other storage containers and the reason it is a need is because an organized classroom runs better. If a classroom runs smoother then the kids will learn better. I am not just being over prepared. I am truly doing what is necessary. But when the funds run out, what can you do. You have to just work with what you have.
On Monday I will begin my job. I will go for the first time to meet the staff and do meetings, training and orientations. The meetings will be all week long. I am excited. On the 12th of August I will be having my meet the teacher night.....talk about scary!!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Prologue
In less than two weeks the journey I have been preparing for, for the past seven years will finally begin. I honestly do not know how I managed to get to this point. The truth is, I had many obstacles that could have faltered all of my plans. The economy is horrible for all, teacher jobs are scarce and the competition is tremendous. But somehow I got a job. So here I am, weeks away from walking into the classroom for the first time.
I can not begin to say how grateful I feel to not only have a job but to have a job as a teacher, even with the lack of decent pay. A little back ground on me is that I was a waitress before this. I worked very hard, for even less money than I will have as a teacher, so teaching is actually a step up for me. I am really looking forward to having something I can have some control over, something that I can feel good about and something that brings more meaning to my life.
Until now, my children and husband have been my biggest successes. I have been fine with that, but I knew that someday I would contribute more to this world and so here I am, about to embark on the scariest journey of all. I will be teaching third grade at a time when funds for teachers are scarce, futures for families are uncertain and pink slips continuously lurk, waiting to be handed out.
This brings me to why I want to document it. I want people to know just what teachers go through. I want people to know how hard it actually is and I want people to know exactly what teachers do for their children. I will approach this story with no boundaries. If I am frustrated, I will say so, if I am scared I will explain why, if I feel I have done well I will pat myself on the back, and I will not hold back my thoughts. I will not worry about if what I am saying offends someone because what I will be going through is real. It will be emotional, it will be blunt and it Will be unpredictable. It will be life behind the lines of the education world uncensored. Maybe, this blog will teach teacher appreciation on a new level. Maybe it will bore you. I don't know but what it will do is get me through what will without a doubt be the best and worst year of my adventure so far. So, join me, if you dare.
Best regards;
Your Teacher
I can not begin to say how grateful I feel to not only have a job but to have a job as a teacher, even with the lack of decent pay. A little back ground on me is that I was a waitress before this. I worked very hard, for even less money than I will have as a teacher, so teaching is actually a step up for me. I am really looking forward to having something I can have some control over, something that I can feel good about and something that brings more meaning to my life.
Until now, my children and husband have been my biggest successes. I have been fine with that, but I knew that someday I would contribute more to this world and so here I am, about to embark on the scariest journey of all. I will be teaching third grade at a time when funds for teachers are scarce, futures for families are uncertain and pink slips continuously lurk, waiting to be handed out.
This brings me to why I want to document it. I want people to know just what teachers go through. I want people to know how hard it actually is and I want people to know exactly what teachers do for their children. I will approach this story with no boundaries. If I am frustrated, I will say so, if I am scared I will explain why, if I feel I have done well I will pat myself on the back, and I will not hold back my thoughts. I will not worry about if what I am saying offends someone because what I will be going through is real. It will be emotional, it will be blunt and it Will be unpredictable. It will be life behind the lines of the education world uncensored. Maybe, this blog will teach teacher appreciation on a new level. Maybe it will bore you. I don't know but what it will do is get me through what will without a doubt be the best and worst year of my adventure so far. So, join me, if you dare.
Best regards;
Your Teacher
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