Teaching School

It's been a crazy few weeks.  I decided I'd better write down what's been going on, because my brain is fried so much all ready that I'll never remember it all!

It feels so great to actually have a job again, and to be fully part of a team.  Some of the highlights have been:

• Getting the name plate on my door
• Hanging posters in my classroom
• Getting my KEYS
• Meeting our two student teachers and knowing that I never have to do that again :)
• Making new friends
• Trying to teach my students how to say my name.  Most of them still call me "teacher" or "Mrs....um...."
• Being introduced in the first-day assembly

There are some things that I'd never anticipated struggling with.  The schedule is pretty rough after four months of nothingness.  I was so exhausted for the first week that I had a hard time keeping up with everything!  Also, I'm the only new teacher in the school, so it's been a challenge keeping up with everything that everyone else already knows.  I've never used the phrase "What does that mean?" so many times in my life!  They have their own Franklin language for sure, but I'm catching on!  I've also learned that teachers are crazy when it comes to free stuff, especially EXPENSIVE free stuff (like a brand-spanking-new printer.)

Luckily, though, I work with a great staff.  I'm serious.  They're always just stopping by to chat, offering advice, giving me free stuff (awesome), or just smiling at me when I've had a horrible day.

Most of all, though, I've had a great mentor.  In our district, first-year teachers are assigned a veteran teacher to mentor them through everything.  My principal, knowing that I already had a good relationship with Marci, asked her to be my mentor.  She's a rockstar.  She spent a lot of valuable setup time the first few days showing me the ropes: introducing me to other teachers, helping me haul books to my classroom, loading me up with teaching material, giving me advice on everything.  I'm so glad I have her around!

All in all, the first few weeks have been great.  I still have a LONG way to go and a lot to learn, but I'm getting there!