Two weeks almost done

Today was a long day. I think when I am tired at the end of the day, the kids talking annoys me more. I don't like to have to be mean, but I think every teacher worries about that day when they can't control the class, so early on, I have to nip certain things in the bud. However, it makes me grumpy.

That being said, there are some really sweet kids in my classes. The class that I was sure was going to be trouble is actually fun. (But loud.) There are some kids with just great personalities, and though I do believe that I will have discipline problems with some of them along the line, they are all basically good kids. (I think...)

Anyway, I'm tired, and Bug is trying to knock my computer off my lap.

The start of a new week

Today started my second week teaching junior high, and I remain pretty relieve at how well it's going. I think I was really seriously scared about how badly behaved these kids would be. It doesn't help when everyone you meet says "You're teaching junior high? Boy, you're brave." I've heard that sentiment an alarming number of times this summer.

I have one group that is a bit talkative, and a few boys who need a bit of redirecting, but in general, things really are going well. One of the interesting things that I've found so far is that the people around me don't seem to want me to be doing well. They ask how things are going, and when I respond positively, I hear things like "Well, it's early yet" or "You got a really easy schedule." These are people who seemed pretty nice a week ago, so I'm not sure where this is going from. And it's not every one who is acting this way. But, in general, I find this kind of attitude disturbing.

One week down...

So I survived my first week teaching 8th graders. And didn't write anything about it all week...mostly because it was a truly exhausting week. Exhausting, but I do think fairly successful. I am, quite honestly, figuring out what I'm going to do, and how I want to teach, and all of what comes with teaching English, but as far as establishing a rapport with the kids, I think I've begun to do that. I have one class that seemed like it was going to be tough at the beginning of the week, and while there are still some kids in there who are tough, the class is really coming around and I've made some serious inroads with some of them.

I have jokingly said to many people that I find it so weird that they all seem to be doing what I ask them to. I think people here don't quite get what I mean when I say that. They said, oh, it's the first week, they all do that. Well, maybe here they all do that, but not where I've been teaching for the last six years. So that's sort of refreshing and a little weird. And I wonder how long it will last.


We are reading our first story this week, one that I think is kind of fun. We'll see how that goes.

School starts the day after tomorrow!!

I have been working in my classroom all week and have just had time to really think about how things are going. It's fairly overwhelming to be brand new again at a school , especially when I've been used to being a leader within my school. I don't like the part about not knowing where things are, how to get things done, who to call when my computer breaks, and not knowing the curriculum as well as I'd like. I'm working in a department of very nice people, but at the same time I'm not included in discussions because they assume I don't know or don't care what they are doing yet. I have to laugh and remember that in my first teaching job, no one spoke to me for the first 6 months. That's a slight exaggeration, but really really slight. This isn't unusual, it's just not fun.

I feel somewhat ready to start the school year. I feel more ready than I thought I would at this point. My biggest concern of course is behavior. I'm teaching 8th graders and I really want to connect with them, but everyone has so freaked me out about behavior expectations that I feel the need to be really tough at first.

My classroom

So I saw my new classroom for the first time last week. The good news is it's in the actual building and it's near the other 8th grade teachers. The bad news. It has no technology. Seriously, NO technology. When I saw that there were no student computers, I asked the principal if there would be computers for the students in the room. His response "Why? Did you want one?" When I said yes (uh, ONE?), he said he would see if there were any extras around, and if so he'd try to get me (yes...) ONE.

Okay, so I'm trying to be positive about this, but I'm not sure how I'm going to do some of the things I've gotten used to doing with my classes. I've even started looking up the price of LCD projectors on Ebay. Although, I'm open to suggestions...