Has anyone else made a significant relocation this year? I moved from California to Virginia. There are so many differences between not only my districts, but also the states! (Mostly all for the better here in VA in my opinion.) I was just curious how others are dealing with the changes.
I didn't move this year but in Fall 2003 I moved from a very small town in western Kentucky (where everyone knows you and everything about you) here to GA where I am in a town of around 70+ thousand 35 miles east of Atlanta. Talk about a change (but a good one). I have started my 5th school year here and am absolutely loving my townhouse that I bought last fall. Good luck and hope you have an awesome year
I just relocated from Michigan (a smaller town) to basically Orlando. I am pretty scared about being in such a new, big town environment. I also have never taught in the state of MI, although my certificate is from there. So I am very nervous about the FL standards.
I moved last summer from Indiana/North Dakota to Nevada. The standards are numbered differently but are basically the same. I've had more difficulty adjusting to the climate!
I moved from a small town in the desert - to a slightly bigger small town in the mountains. The humidity is tough. The standards seem fairly equivalent, but I'm used to a strict curriculum (core curriulum - adopted text only, no supplements) and in my new school they create a lot of their own stuff. I asked where the social studies book was (we test Reading, Math, Science & Social Studies in 3rd grade) and was told "oh, there's no book, we just pull some stuff together" ! I'm excited about the freedom, but I don't have a lot of training in elementary ed - (it was an added endorsement and really only required 2 classes) so I'm a bit nervous.
I moved from a very small town (50 people) to southern California with over 300,000+. Talk about being different. Teaching out there was different also. I taught 1st grade but felt like I was teaching Kindergarten most of the time. I decided to move back to Minnesota (not the small town I grew up in) and love it. I hated being so far away from family! Now I am still close enough to family, but far away enough too!!
I moved to England, from Maryland, to teach for the DoD schools. I loved it, but I also was thrilled to return home...and the lady who had taken my teaching position retired the year we returned, so I was able to return to the same school, same classroom, same grade. Isn't that odd? Kim
I moved from PA to FL in November. So far, the differences have been HUGE. In PA, thinngs are very clear cut, and "uptight" , but so far FL seems much more laid back. Also, there are absolutely NO jobs to be found in PA, and that is definitely not the case in FL. It should be an interesting year, I've already been told to "relax" and that I'm too tightly wound LOL!
Welcome to VA! My last move was from central to northern va, and there was a bit of adjusting to do as well. I think I coped well because I had my hubby with me.
I am moving on Tuesday from Michigan (Flint area) to North Carolina (Charlotte area). I will probably not cope well at first, as I am super close to my mom and sister, and I am moving all alone and know absolutely no one.
Annie227---In what area of VA are you teaching?? Last year I moved from NC to VA. For me, it was a HUGE change because I had been teaching in a DOD (Dept. of Defense) school for 2 years. We had a union, our system did not fall under NCLB, so things were very different...we were able to focus on TEACHING instead of TESTING, etc. Not to mention, the cost of living where I was in NC was so low compared to the Northern VA area. Even with all of the changes, though, I really like this area and my school! I had some rough spots last year where I was ready to throw in the towel (all related to the fact that we test our kids to death and I didn't feel like I had time to teach), but I am hanging in there! I work with wonderful people and we have some really fabulous students/families in our school that make going to work enjoyable!
I moved last July from NJ to GA. Because there are no jobs for elementary in NJ the ones that are avaliable are for special ed or have 500+ people putting in for it . There are lots of jobs down here and its cheaper to live than NJ which I love!!! I am going into my second year here I taught 2nd last year and this year I am teaching first which will be an adjustment. But so far i like here everyone is much more laid back then NJ LOL!
I will be moving next year. I do not know to where exactly. My husband is finishing his degree in geography, and none of the good jobs are available where we live. So I will be moving to a city on the east coast hopefully, Virginia.
I will be commuting about 45 minutes daily. I was having a hard time finding an apartment with availability on short notice (I was offered the job less than 2 weeks ago). There were a few, but none I would live in! This was the closest I found, and I only got this one because the complex is brand new!
I have an orientation thing from 8-4, so I won't be able to get there at that time. Oh well. I won't see my classroom until after orientation on Thursday anyway.
I moved from Maryland to Georgia a couple of years ago. I taught in a great district in MD and comparing it to the district in GA...well GA falls short. GA is very behind in instructional practices, procedures, routines...well overall. If it didn't cost so much to live in Maryland, I would move back tomorrow.
I don't know where you were in MD, but in my old district, they treated the teachers very well. Oooh how I miss it.
REALLY!! I love the district I teach in. We arent behind in my district. We are ahead compared to were I lived in NJ. Maybe you just taught for a bad school district in GA
I've taught in two pretty bad schools here. NO ONE ever leaves the decent schools. So as a new person, well you sorta get what's left over most of the time. I am sure they have other decent schools but as a whole the programs and various implementations were behind compared to my old district.
I moved from Seattle to NYC to take a teaching position, but am back in Seattle again. It was a fun adventure, but I LOVE my city.
