This year feels SO much different than last year. Last year I was nearly dreading starting school again. I felt worn out, beat up, and out of ideas. The year, while overall still a good one, was tough. The change from teaching music to grade five came at the perfect time.
I spent all last week setting up my classroom, and I'm really happy with the way it looks. It's bright and cheery (woohoo, real live light! My music room was in the basement and so tended to be kinda dark!), it's colour co-ordinated, and it's all organized and ready to go (click the picture for more). It won't look like this ever again, but hey, a gal's got to start somewhere!
The kids were just at school for an hour today, but the real deal starts tomorrow. Kids will find out who their new teachers are first thing, and the year will get rolling. They don't know it yeat, but they're already going to have homework. Yeah, yeah, I'm such a meanie pants. They'll just have to suck it up!
The more I think about my job, and the way I even landed at this school, the more I am blown away by God's grace and provision for me. When I started at my school in September 2003, it was a part time music job, the absolute perfect thing for my first year of teaching. Just enough to live on, not too heavy a prep/marking load, and only 40 minutes a week with each class so I couldn't really screw them up too badly! ;-) I got laid off at the end of my first year, but ended up being hired back at the same school for the fall. My second year I was able to go to full time, in part by taking on teaching the French Immersion kids music, too. Yeehaw! Full time salary, plus I got to use my French. No layoffs that year thanks to a spring election, so I got to stay at my school again and by the end of my third year, had enough seniority under my belt to escape layoffs should they come about again. Of course, by the end of my third year, I was reeealy ready for a change. Huh, would you look at that? A grade 5 teacher was retiring. Now, with this position, I am working with the best team I could ever ask for - the other grade 5 class is shared by two teachers, both of whom have lots of experience, lots of materials, and lots of willingnes to share and help me out. They are the reason I'm not totally terrified this year!
Yay God for going above and beyond my expectations once again!
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* This week has been BUSY! Proof positive is the face that I started writing this on Tuesday night and have only now completed it on Thursday! Oy!
4 comments:
Hope you have the best year ever.
Like the new profile picture..
Thanks for recounting all the ways God's blessed you - it's so nice to be reminded of how he looks after his children.
Your classroom looks great and sounds like you're ready to go.
Here's to a great year!
The class looks super. I love those windows! What are the little blue baskets for?
My son, thankfully have homework this year. Every year since grade one he has had so much that it cut into our family time or eliminated it. This year he just has spelling, a memory verse from the Bible and any leftover work from the day. I think I am happier than her is!
The room is gorgeous!
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