Thursday, July 27, 2006

out of control and trying to get ready

so on monday, i was able to get a look at my classroom for the first time. it's pretty. check out all the natural lighting from the wall of windows. and my teacher's desk in the corner, with my own desktop to use. and i even get my own comfy teacher rolly chair. so cool. i almost feel like a legitimate educator.

this is a picture of playground/yard - the view i have from my classroom. we have grass. that's like...unheard of. you can see the distinctive k-town businesses and if you look closely enough, some mountains/hills of some kind. then it's the library. our library looks amazing! the circulation desk, and check out all those books! on monday, the shelves were empty, but i went back this afternoon and books had magically appeared. they are beautiful. i heart libraries and books.

and this is the neatest part of the library - a high ceiling area with carpeted tiered steps for kids to have story hour or just read or whatever. so awesome.
and just check out the awesome lighting from the ginormous windows.

i've been there everyday this week, for a few hours here...a few hours there. honestly, i don't have anything to even set up yet, because we haven't really had our orientation about the dos and don'ts of what we can decorate and how. instead, i've just been exploring the school and visiting my classroom, just swiveling in my teacher chair, trying to figure out how i'd like to arrange the classroom. i've also met our literacy coach and math coach. i think they will be my new friends. i have this feeling i'll be visiting their office a lot to get assistance with implementing curriculum. lucky for them their office is on my floor.

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in a somewhat related small world connection, i ran into a teacher that had been part of the interview panel at the school that i had thought i originally wanted to work at - the one that had asked what i thought were some weird questions. he was sitting at my table for math training today. as i met some other teachers from his school, they seemed to know of me. it was weird...then it was explained that i had been their first choice of new hires. huh. had i known that leaving the interview, i think my decision might've been different. it's funny how things worked out. i'm really excited to be starting out at the school i ended up choosing. the staff that i've already met seem great. i'm one of two 4th grade teachers. the other teacher is from the same program i'm in and she's in her 4th year of teaching, so she brings some experience and she's been so accessible. yay...i heart teachers.

just a little over two weeks and counting until i start going into school for full prep days. and just a little under 3 weeks until my first day with the students.

2 comments:

G said...

ooh, exciting times.

Better put up some cool classroom decorations, like pics of Seattle, Brazil, or Mexico!

Anonymous said...

yay!! I'm so excited for you steph! It's going to be a great year!