As I have checked my friends' blogs over the past couple days, I have noticed a trend. I'm calling it the "No, I haven't abandoned my blog" trend. And I am following in their footsteps.
This past week, I spent a good portion of my time at school working in my classroom. We finished labeling and organizing the 6+ centers, sorting through the math cabinet (finally!), cleaning, and beginning lesson plans. We checked out how lunch and dismissal work - though it will change slightly once school begins. Right now, College Heights is hosting "summer camp". Basically, the Pre-K program was cut from 180 days to 160 days (thus why I'm starting next week), so CH offered summer camp for the four weeks that other elementary schools in the area were in session.
Monday is the Meet & Greet, and I'm hoping that a lot of our students and parents are able to make it. I've met one little girl already, and can't wait to meet the others! School starts Tuesday. On the agenda for the first week is teaching them how to....line up, go through the lunch line, handle materials - crayons, blocks, books - wash hands, use the bathroom, eat snack, play on the playground...... And the list goes on! We'll be doing some "academic" instruction and lots of stories. However, we don't even know our math curriculum yet - the training isn't until September 6.
I had a bit of a personal crisis earlier this week as I realized - I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing! I'm a paraprofessional, which is essentially a teaching assistant. But do I write lesson plans? I have written a couple for the first day (which I am a bit rusty on after 4 months on vacation). I find that I have formed some very specific ideas about how "my" classroom should look and operate...then I remember that I have to defer to Kelsey. It is ultimately her decision. It's her classroom. For four years, and especially the last 2, I have been planning on having my own classroom. Where I am the lead teacher. I am envious of my friends who have their own classes.
But I don't want to leave the school district I'm in. It's such an inspiring group of teachers, staff, and administrators. I'm hoping to ride out the next year and learn as much as I can (especially about all the paperwork!). I'm lucky that Kelsey - the lead teacher - wants us to have more of a partnership. She just graduated as well, so we're learning about all of this together. In the meantime, I'm going to continue checking the jobs posted site for Decatur and hoping that a lead teaching position will open at one of the local elementary schools.
I hear you on wanting a lead position, but it's getting desperate enough at this point that I'll take anything. (I am also a little intimidated by the paperwork.) It's so frustrating to see people who HAVE jobs complaining about how summer is over so fast, and they want another week of vacation, when is it Friday, and I'm sitting here thinking, "If you don't want your job, I'll take it!"
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