We only had inservices, meetings, and decorating our room the whole week, yet I feel like I still have so much to do before Monday. We don't have a curriculum so we have to create our own and every year our p changes our requirements. It is due by tomorrow and I am no where near ready to even START. I just got home from work 3 hours ago and its close to 11pm here. I've been positive all week, but with personal problems at home and now staying at work late and having so much left to do, I think I am going to burn myself out before Monday even arrives. I still need to plan my lesson for at least Monday. I spent my whole summer of what I thought was planning, and now I dont have time to do anything I wanted to. :help: The funny thing is I feel very productive and happy while I am at work, its when I arrive at home and I realize I have so much left to do and not enough time in the day. I guess I really don't have a question, I just want to know I am not all that alone?
When you say that you don't have curriculum, do you mean that you don't have MATERIALS to teach the curriculum? Surely you have state and district curriculum standards to follow, right? I teach in a district that doesn't purchase a lot of packaged programs. Our literacy instruction follows a workshop approach- hundreds of books in each classroom, leveled libraries, each student reading books at his or her independent reading level. In math we use a lot of hands on, although grades 3 & 4 do have a text. We also plan a lot of experiential activities in science. We integrate great children's literature across the curriculum, use SmartBoard and other technology to enhance instruction. I love not being tied to a basal, or any other scripted program...it allows teachers to be guided by class needs and interests within the curriculum without being tied to a pacing mandate of a packaged program. Sweetlatina- do you have grade level partners with whom you can sit and map out the year together?
I'm right there with you! I'm actually so anxious I haven't been able to sleep nearly as well. I thought I got a lot done this summer as well but now as we are getting ready to return it still feels like so much to do. Usually by about mid-September I've settled into a routine of knowing what NEEDS to be done for the next day/week and I don't have to spend as much time on preparations. Hang in there!
I feel the same. I only have finished one months worth of lesson plan for one of my classes. I have three preschool classes and two p.e. classes to prepare for. I spent all day at the school yesterday preparing and sending out preschool packets. I also have to have my classroom ready a week and half before schools because my principal thought I should set up a last minute Open House. I know how you feel and I wish you the best. Good luck!!
I have a lot to do, haven't really planned much, but we don't start our week of meetings until 8/16, then school the next week. So, at this point I am not yet stressing, although I will, and just reading your post was stressful I assure you... I am sure you'll get it all done. You'll have to.
I am the only 6th grade teacher at my school that teaches language arts and social studies. I live in Texas so they tell us to follow the TEKS, however, we don't have to since it is a private catholic school. We take the IOWA test and well the TEKS do not coorelate. When I say I dont have a curriculum it means that I have to use the book to create a way to teach the kids what it has to offer, but nothing to follow. I normally skit around to see what is beneficial to the students and I moreless do well. I think i do? However this year what is holding me back is that we are going to get new books but they havent arrived so i cant start on my curriculum and school starts monday.
thank you all for the support. It does help to know im not alone on this. By the end of today all the teachers some how got mad at each other, and I think its safe to say we are all stressed. It will work out I am sure it will, I guess its just being patient. Thanks
You are absolutely not alone. I just finished my first week back at a new school and I am very overwhelmed. I made a list and it is so long!! I went home Friday afternoon and slept 3 hours due to exhaustion. I just keep thinking that it will get better with time. We can do this!!
I know I can do it, its just getting it done. I am feeling the nerves right now really bad, and I have had these kids before. I taught them religion two years ago, but in that group about 6 are new. I have a long list as well. I made it on Friday, as of today I have gotten 3 done so its a start. I got home the last two days and pretty much went straight to bed. Today, I stayed home the whole day working on things. I feel accomplished, but the nerves are arriving for Monday morning, not sure why if I've done this 4 times already, this will be my 5th year. I have been positive, until this week. God helps us to do our best, thanks!
Hey SweetL, Every first week of every first year certainly brings its share of stressors. I've learned that it's best to stay in my room that week and not participate in the negative talk from the toxic people. You know, the folks who wander from classroom to classroom just to see how other rooms are coming along -- so they say -- but they always throw in some negative comment about the new rules and policy, gossip about the new 5th grade teacher who looks too young/too old/too pretty/too stuck up to be a decent educator... Then they usually add how little time is left to get ready for the first day, which in the past had left me more anxious than when they first came in! Of course if I need an answer to a question I will certainly seek help! And I am not super antisocial where I hide in my room the whole day. I come out for meetings and lunch! But I absolutely refuse to get caught up in the negativity that can plague a school during that first stressful week. But one thing that I noticed at my old school is the overwhelming emphasis on decoration. This is so easier said than done, but try not to worry- especially about deocrating! SO MANY TEACHERS worry about decor!The kids will be fine. Even if there's an empty space on the wall left undecorated, the kids will be fine. Even if you can't find those sparkle pencils, the kids will be fine. Spending lots of time familiarizing yourself with curriculum helps with the confidence so much. Last year was my 3rd year in second grade and every year I would just "freeze up" when we learned Solid Figures in Math. I had a difficult time explaining verticies and faces and sides to the kids. So last summer I spent some time going over the manipulatives that come with the kit and found some really cool games online to help me better explain this concept to the kids. I feel that sometimes (not everyone of course) we can get caught up in decorating our rooms and forget to focus on the important matter of what skills we are teaching. Don't get me wrong, I love to decorate as much as the next guy. I love colorful posters and inspirational messages. But I will certainly admit that it is just recently in my teaching career that I have put as much effort into curriciulm as I have into decorating during that first week back. Even kids as yound as my 3rd graders this year would be able to tell a teacher who wasn't prepared for the lesson. Sure, I know how to multiply -- but can I teach it to a group of kids with several different learning styles? If I am not confident in my ability to teach and convey the material, all my decor goes out the window. Very few 3rd graders will master their Times Tables by staring at the colorful multiplication chart on the wall. As long as you present yourself as the confident and capable teacher I know you are on the first day -- the kids will be fine.
You guys are doing better than me. I don't even have my first week planned yet. I will look at last year's lesson book but I want to improve on my planning over my first year. I was a bit clueless in the beginning. SO I have some planning to do. Yet I just finished college classes. I did manage to get my files in order. Now I have to back off and not do ANYTHING for the next week because I need at least a 1 week vacation this summer. Then I give myself permission to start on my classroom. It starts in 3 weeks though (that includes my vacation week and the constantly interrupted inservice week). I have given myself permission though to start a notebook. In it is my to do list, things I need to remember and think about. It's not planning as much as a running list of to dos or "I forgot about" or "I need to look into" list so that I can get it off my mind. I refuse to do any planning right now. Starting today is my 1 week Sunday to Sunday vacation week. Today I lounge. Tomorrow the kids and I go bowling. Tuesday we head out of town to the beach. For kindergarten, parents haven't let go and they are a little anxious so I do need my room to be bright, colorful and inviting. It is still learn through play. The kids need to see it as a fun place to be. Having said that, I don't go as all out as I see on many websites. I keep it fairly simple.
