I'm A "New" Teacher!
Okay everyone. So today and yesterday was "new teacher orientation" at McHenry this week. Basically, there's not much to update. These "new teacher" days are somehow both a waste of time and important, tediously discussing stuff I already know and presenting an overwhelming amount of information about stuff I need to know.
So on the one hand, I'm amongst many new teachers...meaning first year, right out of student teaching teachers. And that's cool. It makes me feel confident that I am at or above (not below) the level of my peers in terms of experience and competence. But the age piece is key; I'm not the youngest, nor am I the oldest. I'm in the middle...a feeling I've never experienced as a teacher before.
That said, the information delivered to us was framed in a way that would make a new teacher, who hasn't yet been yelled at by parents, who hasn't had to kick an obnoxious kid out of a classroom, who hasn't had to call DCFS on a student before, who hasn't been told that they have to find a new job at the beginning of the summer, more confident and comfortable. As a frightened first year teacher, all of that stuff is really good cushioning. But I've been there before. I mean, not to sound like a dick, but I know that you accommodations on a 504 or IEP aren't optional, and I know that maintaining a presence in the hallway during passing periods makes for a more peaceful building, and I know that it's important to maintain contact with parents.
But on the other hand, there's a mind-boggling amount of information that is new...tardy policies and dress codes and how to sign up for computer lab time and where the nurses' office is and where to send a student if, the day before, he was marked absent for my class with an "NC" and what it means when, on Wednesdays, we have a "tower" and what to do if we see a student listening to his iPod. I mean, the process of logging onto a computer ALONE at that school is crazy as it is.
Ah, anyway...that's been the last two days. I've met a lot of people, some might become friends and some might just remain co-workers or faces that I pass in the hall. Tomorrow, when the whole building reconvenes, I have this feeling I'm going to be meeting more people.
And I need to start thinking of ways to decorate my cubicle. And I need to read the texts I'm teaching for my second units (The Odyssey, I think). And a hoodie that I can wear to work that won't make me look like trash. And a carabiner that will hold my keys and USB drive and swipe card and ID card and little secret random password generator for logging into the computer. And I need to make photocopies of my syllabi and assignment sheets.
And miles to do until I sleep...*
* In all honesty, though, I think I'm going to take a quick nap with the pug before Emily comes home from work.