Week 2 - Class Switch

Hi guys!,

So I'm finally starting to really get to know the kids, their names, and their interests. I've given them a few assignments that required them to tell me something about themselves and having just a little bit of information about them has really helped me a lot. This week went pretty smoothly. I teach science and we got to do our first lab so they were very excited about that! For some reason when there is anything out of the ordinary on the counters of my classroom the kids get very excited. For example, when they walked in on friday I had a stack of cardboard boxes and that is all that they wanted to talk about. Can we touch them? What's in them? Why are they there?  Very cute :]

On friday at 3:00pm I got a call from the VP asking me to come to his office. Not really how I wanted to end my day. As I walked over to his office I was SURE that I had gotten in trouble for something and I was leading myself to slaughter. Turns out I wasn't in trouble, he just wanted to tell me that they were changing my classes around. I am a pretty flexible person (thankfully) so I just said yes sir! and continued on with my day. I could tell he was very confused because he was expecting me to get very mad, maybe yell, and then stomp off. When I just said oh ok, cool, he looked like he was in shock. Anyhow, my favorite class is getting moved to another teacher :[ Kind of sad since we have very different teaching styles and they finally got used to me.

Anyhow, there's my week. Nothing huge or hugely exciting.

First Week

Well I made it through my first weeks as a REAL teacher!! Woo!!

I feel really good about teaching and my classes. No major issues yet :] I had a student whose mom chaperoned him to class. That was pretty interesting. I did not know this, but apparently if you have a truancy issue they take both you and your parent to court and you can choose between going to juvenile hall, or having your parent escort you to all of your classes for a week to ensure that you are there. Seemed strange to me, but I am happy to hear they are involving the parents since it is mostly due to them. The kids can't drive so it is their job to make sure they have a way to get to school and that they make it there. Anyhow, she texted the entire class period, played with/laughed at her phone, gave the other kids gum.... real helpful. Then they didn't even come to the second day of school.... seems kind of sketchy.

Overall everything went really well! The kids are super nice. MV's brother kept telling people to SHHH when I was talking :] I thought that was cute.

Oh in my Life class, one of the kids was very concerned with what they should do if I'm on fire and the desk is on fire. I told them that I hope they will pick me over the desk :] They were still very concerned with which fire to put out first.

:] I thought that was kind of funny.

Overall great week! I was surprised how much I enjoy being with the kids.

First Day of School Eve

Ugh! Tomorrow is the first day of school and I feel so anxious/excited/nervous/happy/frustrated! All at once. I have been trying so hard to keep up my good eating and working out habits and boy has it been rough! I bought a new gym membership and that has been helping me a lot. I've promised myself that if I go every day for 30 days that I will let myself by a pair of Lululemon pants at the end of the 30 days! That feels like a good motivation. Anything to keep me motivated really. I've been doing well as far as food goes. Lots of protein, limiting the sugar (or at least trying to).

Anyhow I better go to sleep! Big day ahead of me!

Day 1: A new beginning

Well folks, today marks day one of my new job as a high school biology teacher. As terrifying as this thought is, I am thankful to be starting, and I hope that this beginning will help keep my anxiety levels down to a dull roar. Lately I have been feeling anxious, excited, scared, tired, dreadful, happy, sad... you name it. I feel like I am reverting back to my teenager years where mood swings were all too common. Let's hope this stops once I get a better feel of my new job.

Today was the first day of new teacher training and as far as an orientation goes it was very harmless. They fed us two meals, gave us a bunch of free swag, and even took us on a little bus field trip to view the new city we will be working in. Oh and did I mention they are paying us for this! Not only was it easy, we get paid because it is outside our teaching contract requirements. sweet deal!

To reward myself for making it through day 1 I made myself a delicious caprese salad for dinner. Go me :]

Wish me luck!! (I'm going to need it)