That's right...I am a teacher now. A real, still breathing, getting paid to be, 5th grade teacher! Where to begin...
- I interviewed for a 5th grade position at Bluffdale Elementary right before Thanksgiving. All of my references were called and questioned: apparently my references said some very nice things, and two of them gave very impressive reviews for me...thanks Wendy and Principal Shumard! The next week I received a call and was offered the job. Needless to say, I accepted the offer. The teacher I would be replacing was moving to Colorado and having a baby. I would begin teaching the first day they came back from Christmas Break (to be politically correct...Winter Break).
- I spent days (many) going through my classroom getting rid of junk and organizing everything. My classroom was a disaster! The desks were chaotic, piles of stuff everywhere, books strewn about all over the place. There were only three more days I could go set up before school started again and I was just getting started! Stressed and overwhelmed, Wendy and I spent a lot of time there and at home organizing my new classroom library and I was ready to go--nervous, but thankfully ready! (My classroom library rocks by the way--organized in bins, numbered and labeled with my awesome labeler I got for Christmas)
- That was three weeks ago--and today, I'm still getting up early and making the commute to Bluffdale. I'm not ready to quit...yet. ;) I've really enjoyed it actually, despite the many mistakes already made. My class is great. A lot of challenges, but nonetheless great. I'm learning that all my years in college did not prepare me as well as I would have liked. For example:
-What's the best way to teach how to make high and low estimates in math?
-How do you even use this grading program?!
-How do you play Head's up, 7-UP? ;)
-Can I drink Dr. Pepper in front of my students? (um...YES)
I sure am grateful for the opportunity I have to be a teacher. Not only do I love what we do and learn about in class, but I love learning something new everyday. I sure appreciate all the help and support I've received---this is where I give a little "shout-out" to Wendy~ :)
Well....that was a lot to read, I know.
Blogging more than once a month should help that from now on :)
