We just had our first back to school day! Mostly, it was nice to see everyone and get some stuff done. But it was also a little stressful. For example, I found out today that I'll have someone floating into my room during my planning. Of course I want to be gracious and a team player, so I'll be very pleasant to whoever it is, but what I want to know is this: Is this going to suck as bad as I think it will? (I really hope your answer is no!) Any advice, stories or encouragement are welcome!
Everyone in my building shares rooms. Last year I was in nine different rooms. Then again, I grew up sharing a bedroom. It's really no big deal. Work gets done in the faculty room with a cup of hot tea instead of by myself in my homeroom. No big deal at all.
Our school is full. There is never an empty room. It is a very rare luxury for a teacher to have an empty classroom to work in for planning time. Often, when one class is out at the gym, for example, another class and teacher may be coming in to use the room. Everyone needs to be respectful of everyone else and it works just fine.
I spent my first four years "floating" in everybody else's classroom. I think it is a lot harder on the "floating" teacher than on the "host" teacher. As a "floater", I always felt like I was invading someone else's space. I never had a place to call mine. I felt like I couldn't erase boards or move things around. A couple of the teachers gave me a file drawer and a section of board. I really did appreciate that.
Yes, count yourself lucky you are not the floater. That is TOUGH, trust me I've been on both sides! It does stink though to not have your room to yourself for planning...do you have a laptop you can take elsewhere and work?
As long as you have somewhere else to plan, you should be okay. Just make sure to find that place that you can work early.
As long as that teacher has good management, it should be fine. I've had floaters who let their students basically destroy my classroom while I was out of the room, but I couldn't get anything done if I stayed in the room because they were so loud. I had to get locks for all of my cabinets.
Unfortunately, no. AND we don't have a teacher center. I'm hoping the teacher is ok with me working quietly at my computer. There aren't any others available!