I've developed a crick in my neck.

Say hello to my massive headache. Warning: This will be a disjointed post.

Somehow it took me all day to accomplish the following:
1. Get a blue binder with important stuff in it.
2. Sign onto the computer and then get kicked off. (repeat *many* times)
3. Make an appointment to get fingerprinted.
4. Eat. (Something I don't ever see veteran teachers doing, that and going to the bathroom.)
5. Conspire with cool janitor fellow. Teacher desk and filing cabinet will be delivered tomorrow.
6. Dealt, I think, politely with the teacher-who-got-kicked-out-of-my-classroom when he accused me of taking his supplies. He sullenly rifled through my stuff taking little bits of Sharpies and index cards and whatnot. Very annoying and completely illogical. Trust me. He's just pissy 'cause he got kicked out of his room.
7. Hung up one poster.
8. Turn in some papers checking off what supplies I got. And then didn't get.

That's it. I'm not sure where the whole planning for my actual classes thing is supposed to happen. But, I'm not freaking out. Yet.

I met with the special ed teacher who will be doing the inclusion class with me. He seems sort of just like me but a boy. He taught last year, but as a self-contained person, so this class will be a new experience for us both. I was a little nervous about our combined lack of experience, but after chatting, I think we have the same concept of best case scenerio. We'd like to team teach so that the kids aren't aware that one of us is the special ed teacher and that some students are special ed. It will probably require more work for both of us, but I hope it will be more "inclusive." On Friday, we'll go through a training that outlines best practices for inclusion, so I'm sure we'll understand more then. For now, I'm glad we seem to have the same kind of teaching vibe.

I also learned a little about new state end of course tests. Once they are up and running, I think it will work something like the Regents exams in New York that have been around since my gramps was in high school. Along with the measures proposed to deal with the 50% graduation rate and the major achievement gap at my school, the test will force us to perform more as a unit. Each deparment, so I gather, will need to grow towards doing things in a more uniform way until we are all doing sort of the same thing at the same time. I feel very glad I am new. Anything will be unfamiliar to me, so I don't have the issues about adopting new methods. Others, not so much.

And, last but not least, I am in the one "dead spot" of the school for wireless access. Why me? Can I hijack the school's airport and make it work for me?

Comments

[Michelle]

I work in a school district that employs over 5000 teachers, and we don't have to get fingerprinted. Can you believe?

[Tom Hoffman]

It is really important to eat breakfast and lunch when you're teaching, by the way.

[John]

Preparing for your first real teaching assignment can certainly give you a sense of the life of the ADHD child.
Looking back at the end of the day, you ask yourself,"How did I manage to be distracted from my 'To Do' list 143 times?" As for the team teaching, I've found that if both teachers treat each others as equals the students will do the same. My co-teacher and I are about to start our fourth year together. Our attitude has always been that this is OUR class and we are BOTH here to teach ALL of the students.

[cindy]

Teachers go to the bathroom? ;-)

[dottielee]

I was at school today--SATURDAY--finishing my to-do list. It has been done.

A teacher in my department eats strange things at lunch. Yesterday, she ate a plain bagel and marshmallows. On Wednesday, she ate a baggie of corn Chex and about a dozen oatmeal cookies. These are some serious dietary issues. I haven't been able to eat breakfast yet...too nervous, even during pre-planning.

[John]

You look about as prepared as anyone could be.

It's corny and obvious, but as an old-timer (my first class in college composition was September, 1960, and I wasn't yet 21), don't short yourself on sleep or food. An alert mind will get you through the unexpected better than any specific planning you do.

I know you're going to enjoy this work.

[mary]

Um, yeah, I needed to pick up a form at HR this week and decided to leave work on time and try to rush over there before 5 pm. It took me almost 30 minutes to leave school (hand in various required paperwork, shut windows, gather belongings, sign out, walk to car), and of course they were closed before I even got near. The 'planning' and organization part of it is not working out for me, though I like my students alot.

[John]

I hope you are enjoying your new job, but I fear your lack of posts might be an indication that you are overwhelmed. Don't be afraid to ask colleagues (both online and at your school) for help. Until we hear from you, I'm going to assume the best: that you have thrown yourself into your new challenge and simply haven't had the opportunity to post.

[Nancy]

Congratulations--you made it! Yes, food and rest makes or breaks it. Do your paperwork a little at a time--if you let it go you'll be overwhelmed trying to catch up.

Love the pics of your new class. Wow--you not only have a HUGE classroom, it is clean, painted, your chairs all have 4 legs, and you have walls and ceilings!!! No joke--at my school we have open pods. That means 4 to 8 classrooms without walls or ceilings in each building. The only thing that separates the classrooms are rolling cabinets! It takes tens of thousands of dollars to put in half walls, then even more to put in suspended ceilings. In the meantime--we teach, struggle for sanity, and pray for deafness!