And so it begins!
Tomorrow is the first day of school, and I'm more than a little anxious. Strangely enough, I may be more anxious than I was last year, and that was my first year of teaching. However, I knew more going into the game last year. I had previously established relationships with some of the staff and students, due to working at the school over the summer, and the atmosphere was much more laidback. This is not to say that being laidback was a good thing, because it also meant that the students are being shortchanged in many areas.
But this school is different, and it's wonderful. They are much more no nonsense and expect the best. They have been labeled an exemplary school. This, however, means that I have a lot to live up to. I'm sure that I would be fine if I stayed the same as last year, but I cannot. I want to be better, do more, and live up to my own high expectations as well.
This does mean, though, that I have plenty of work to do. More than I ever had to do last year, because I want my room to be better and done now. I found through the course of last year that if I wanted something to be a part of my classroom, it really needed to be done right away, at the beginning of the year, or at the beginning of a semester, because otherwise, school happens. You get swept away in the lesson planning and the paperwork, and there is no time to do all those other things. The list of things that I want to do is kind of overwhelming, and the first few weeks will be very crazy.
This is what stresses me out so much, though, I have so much to do!
And on top of all these things that I have to do, I am walking into unfamiliar territory in so many ways. I don't really know anything about my paras, and their style seems very different from the style that I am familiar with and comfortable with. The school atmosphere is different, and everything is done very differently. I am learning and unlearning everything at the same time. Furthermore, I know little to nothing about any of my students. Once again, overwhelming.
I'm also trying to decide whether to purchase a set of books. It is a book of TEACCH workstations and such. I think that it could be very beneficial and helpful, plenty of brainstorming and takeoff points, but it also costs $130. I ordered one book on the TEACCH methodology by the TEACCH people, so hopefully that will help me know a little better how to organize things.
But this school is different, and it's wonderful. They are much more no nonsense and expect the best. They have been labeled an exemplary school. This, however, means that I have a lot to live up to. I'm sure that I would be fine if I stayed the same as last year, but I cannot. I want to be better, do more, and live up to my own high expectations as well.
This does mean, though, that I have plenty of work to do. More than I ever had to do last year, because I want my room to be better and done now. I found through the course of last year that if I wanted something to be a part of my classroom, it really needed to be done right away, at the beginning of the year, or at the beginning of a semester, because otherwise, school happens. You get swept away in the lesson planning and the paperwork, and there is no time to do all those other things. The list of things that I want to do is kind of overwhelming, and the first few weeks will be very crazy.
This is what stresses me out so much, though, I have so much to do!
And on top of all these things that I have to do, I am walking into unfamiliar territory in so many ways. I don't really know anything about my paras, and their style seems very different from the style that I am familiar with and comfortable with. The school atmosphere is different, and everything is done very differently. I am learning and unlearning everything at the same time. Furthermore, I know little to nothing about any of my students. Once again, overwhelming.
I'm also trying to decide whether to purchase a set of books. It is a book of TEACCH workstations and such. I think that it could be very beneficial and helpful, plenty of brainstorming and takeoff points, but it also costs $130. I ordered one book on the TEACCH methodology by the TEACCH people, so hopefully that will help me know a little better how to organize things.