Back to school
So maybe I need to get my ass in gear and stop lurking around reading about other people's lives and actually write about mine...
My illustrious January teaching career lasted all of ten weeks. I taught for eight and then gave notice. I was hired at a Baltimore County high school to teach freshman and senior English--five classes in all. My enthusiasm of the new was short-lived. The kids had had subs all year prior to my arrival, and they didn't want to do anything. They were disrespectful and disruptive. It was too hard for me as a new teacher to walk into their territory and try to claim it for myself. I wasn't prepared.
Plus I was taking two classes, one of which required that I be observed by sadist of the year. Dr. Evil was one of the most unsupportive, unhelpful educators I have ever encountered. My stress levels were through the roof. I went to bed at midnight and was up by five. I gagged every morning and lost 12 pounds. I never got to see my family and my husband had to take over most kid duties. We were all miserable. So I quit.
Fast forward to now. I figured I'd try to get hired next year, when Zoe was in kindergarten. I was going to offer to tutor at my sons' city schools. But out of the blue, there came a classified ad for a middle school language arts teacher at a neighborhood Catholic school. I never, ever thought I'd teach in a Catholic school, but... It's within walking distance of our house. They have full day pre-K and a tuition break for teachers. They are very accommodating and family-friendly. I will only have about 60 students (6, 7, 8) instead of 120.
And I get to pick the young adult novels/books I want to teach. I loooooove YA lit. Any recommendations? I'm thinking about Hatchet, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Crispin the Cross of Lead, The Chocolate War, The Outsiders, The Golden Compass, The Giver...
So I have a nice big classroom which my guys and I painted "fresh pear," which is sort of lime green. I bought some beanbag chairs and disk chairs and bright orange rugs at Target to make reading areas. I hung posters and papered bulletin boards. The room rocks! I created a teacher website. I am reading like crazy and trying to decide which books to use. I am writing up my class rules, expectations and procedures. My territory. For us to create a learning community together.
I learn from my mistakes. Yes, I do.
My illustrious January teaching career lasted all of ten weeks. I taught for eight and then gave notice. I was hired at a Baltimore County high school to teach freshman and senior English--five classes in all. My enthusiasm of the new was short-lived. The kids had had subs all year prior to my arrival, and they didn't want to do anything. They were disrespectful and disruptive. It was too hard for me as a new teacher to walk into their territory and try to claim it for myself. I wasn't prepared.
Plus I was taking two classes, one of which required that I be observed by sadist of the year. Dr. Evil was one of the most unsupportive, unhelpful educators I have ever encountered. My stress levels were through the roof. I went to bed at midnight and was up by five. I gagged every morning and lost 12 pounds. I never got to see my family and my husband had to take over most kid duties. We were all miserable. So I quit.
Fast forward to now. I figured I'd try to get hired next year, when Zoe was in kindergarten. I was going to offer to tutor at my sons' city schools. But out of the blue, there came a classified ad for a middle school language arts teacher at a neighborhood Catholic school. I never, ever thought I'd teach in a Catholic school, but... It's within walking distance of our house. They have full day pre-K and a tuition break for teachers. They are very accommodating and family-friendly. I will only have about 60 students (6, 7, 8) instead of 120.
And I get to pick the young adult novels/books I want to teach. I loooooove YA lit. Any recommendations? I'm thinking about Hatchet, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Crispin the Cross of Lead, The Chocolate War, The Outsiders, The Golden Compass, The Giver...
So I have a nice big classroom which my guys and I painted "fresh pear," which is sort of lime green. I bought some beanbag chairs and disk chairs and bright orange rugs at Target to make reading areas. I hung posters and papered bulletin boards. The room rocks! I created a teacher website. I am reading like crazy and trying to decide which books to use. I am writing up my class rules, expectations and procedures. My territory. For us to create a learning community together.
I learn from my mistakes. Yes, I do.