School starts on Wednesday. That’s in four days. I went into my classroom for the very first time (to actually work in it) today.
I am an idiot. A procrastinating idiot. Heh!
In my own defense, my summer has been extremely busy, and I am not all that worried about getting my room all set up before the little munchkins arrive. After all, I am a professional! This is my fifth year as a third-grade teacher, so all of that set-up stuff should be a piece of cake, right?
Actually, I got a lot done today. I put up a couple of bulletin boards. Well, I put one up and got the butcher paper and border up on the other one. It’s the biggest and the hardest to get up, so I did most of the work. It can’t be completed until the kids come anyway. It’s for a back-to-school activity.
I am nervous about a couple of things, though. The biggest thing that worries me is that my school is having some low enrollment issues. The last couple of years have brought in fewer kindergartners than previous years, and it’s starting to really affect my position at the school. In fact, last year I would have been let go (from the school only, not the district) if the school board hadn’t agreed to our school going up to 8th grade. Up till then it had been K-6th. Now it is K-8th. We’ve added two grades, but we haven’t added any teachers. That’s how low the numbers are!
Our kindergarten classes are still low in numbers, but my principal (he is working so hard for me!) has changed the third kindergarten teacher to morning, as opposed to afternoon, so he has been given some of the other morning kindy kids. The principal has just kind of rearranged the students to make the numbers look better. Hopefully, we’ll be overlooked by the district, and my job will be secure. S-E-C-U-R-E I’m going to try to not think about the bad things that could happen. It’s all going to work out. It’s all going to work out. It’s all going to work out.
Another thing that concerns me is the make-up of my class. I know, I know . . . I should never let what last year’s teachers say about them affect what I think. However, there are a few kids on my roster whom I have taught before in summer school. I’ve also dealt with them on the playground. I always give students a chance in the beginning of the school year – a clean slate, so to speak. I let them make their own impressions on me. Although I’ve only taught four years, it’s enough to know that what other teachers think of a student is not necessarily going to reflect what I will think of that student.
This year I have students known to display some pretty severe and frequent behavior problems, a lot of them. I also have five students that are mainstreaming into my class from the SED (severely emotionally disabled) class. They are very angry and aggressive. Mixing them with already-behavior-challenged students worries me a little bit. Okay, I’m a little stressed out by the possibility of having a super duper horrendous year.
However, it’s up to me to make it the best year possible. ;-)
I can’t believe that school begins in just a few days! This is the first time that I haven’t gone in a couple of weeks early to set up the classroom. It’s kind of invigorating! Heh!
Disregarding everything that’s worrisome, I am looking forward to teaching again. I really do start to miss it toward the end of the summer. I have a lot of fresh, new ideas for this year that I am eager to implement!
Work is calling out to me.
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