New Year, New School, New Adventures

How on earth did I survive the first year of teaching?  That's the question I've been asking myself as I prepare for the school year in a new job.  As a first year teacher (who was hired the night before PD started to kick off the school year) there were questions I didn't even know I should be asking.  On top of trying to plan for classes I'd never taught and kids I'd never met, there were basic logistics things I learned on the fly, and usually only after I'd made a mistake.  Things like:

• How do I reserve a room or space for an event?
• What's my code to use the copier?
• How do I order supplies?
• Where do I find the inventory list from the previous year?

I'm now going into my eighth year of teaching, but in a different building and district.  Plus, the fact that I this wasn't a part of the plan at the beginning of the summer is compounding on the anxiety a bit.Though I feel much better prepared than I did as a first year teacher, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm the new kid again and I've definitely got some back to school jitters.

Inspired by a recent post about learning spaces and making the kids a part of the process, one of the biggest things I want to do to start the year is have students design our bulletin boards and pick out some new posters and wall art.  I'm following a director who was a part of the district for 42 years and 25 of them had been in the room I now have the privilege of teaching in.  Those are some big shoes.  I don't want it to seem like a hostile takeover, so the hope is that getting their input will help them feel like a part of the transition rather than just having it happen to them.

It's going to be an adventure, but I feel much more ready going in now than I ever did during my first year of teaching.  Now to meet my students and start making music with them!

P.S. Whether they're brand new to the profession or just new to your school, don't forget to reach out to those around you who are just getting started!