Fielding a Curve Ball

Here I am, in the third week of my first year of full time teaching.

I am teaching a class in which I am not certified (California Studies, when my certification is in English) and I got hired only days before the school year started. I did not start till days after. My classroom is still full of the belongings and decor of the previous teacher. I’m adapting lesson plans and curriculum from another teacher, who has been teaching Cal Studies for almost a decade. On the plus side, he knows his stuff. On the downside, he knows his stuff–most of the materials are little reminders to himself, rather than detailed information. I’m learning the materials only slightly before my students.

I just got an apartment, and I am still moving in. My belongings arrived from Boston only two days ago. Life is getting easier, mind you, now that I have my belongings.

I’m still finishing all my paperwork with HR. My curriculum is almost entire handouts and the photocopier is always broken. I have a severe shortage of materials. I have zero technology in my classroom (I thought Boston was bad, but I was wrong!). My students have major discipline issues and do not do work reliably at all.

All that said, I am fortunate to have a job, and fortunate to have this job. My administration is wonderful, and my colleagues are fantastic. I feel very supported, and the environment is overall positive. While I am often frustrated by my students, there are great moments as well, and there are several students that stand out as particularly delightful. I already have a Doctor Who action figure at my desk that a student brought in for me. That’s a warm fuzzy.

I am trying to learn to better manage my classes–a problem I had overcome in Boston, but must start from scratch here. I am trying to learn California history. I am trying to learn the particular nature of my school. I am trying to learn to write better lessons for really long classes (in Boston, I had about 45 minutes, here I have two hour blocks!). I am trying to learn a new school-wide discipline system, and how to best use it.

Plus, I’m learning a whole new city. That part is mostly exciting, but sometimes stressful. I’m establishing my adorable new apartment, which is mostly exciting, but sometimes stressful. I’ve downgraded from a fairly spacious one bedroom to a studio, so it’s been a challenge. My books are moved in, though, which is always a wonderful thing to see.

Today, I’m just pushing myself to write in this blog again. Starting tomorrow, I hope, I will begin talking more about what I’m teaching and what’s going on in my classes. I want to talk about how I’m creating my materials and what I’m learning about education.

Urban education is a challenge. Being a first year teacher is a challenge. This year is a huge challenge, but one with which I look forward to grappling. I will overcome it, I will do my job well, and I will come out a better teacher.