The new job...

Many of you have asked about my new teaching job....  I am about to start my 4th week and I already can't see how I'm going to get through the whole year ha ha.  Let's start with some of the "issues" I've had to deal with:

- I am in a brand new charter school... (A lot of the following issues are directly related to this.)
- My classroom is tiny.
- I have 28 students.
- I don't have a rug for "carpet time" OR space for a rug for that matter...  Right now we have tape on the floor outlining where they can sit.
- They didn't order any wide lined paper for my kids so I have to "make" all my paper using the copy machine.
- My school is a technology based school so they expect the kids to be on the computer for most of the day.  However, I teach first grade and that is just not possible when they need to learn to read and write and speak correctly.  ALSO, they didn't provide K-3 with enough computers.  SO we have to share 25 (yes not enough for everyone in my class) computers amongst all 4 classes.  I get the computers for about 1 hour a day. 
- I was not given any math program because it was supposedly supposed to be on the computers...  I spend about 3 hours a night on average trying to figure out the best way to teach certain concepts in math.
- I am the only first grade teacher at my school so I have no one to collaborate with.
- I was given a full time aide.  Who was then made into a half-time aide.  Who is now only a "1 hour in my classroom" aide.  It changes daily.
- My kids don't really have specialty classes so I almost never get a break.  (We are thankfully now starting art this week...)
- I have about 10 minutes for lunch.
- I don't have functional cubbies in my classroom.
- I don't have desks where kids can put their stuff - we have tables instead.
- Basically, we're lacking tremendously in the supplies department.  It takes quite a bit of money on my end and/or creative thinking.
- I have to be at school by 7:20 in order to have enough time to plan.  And at the moment, I live 40 minutes away from school.  So I say goodbye to my house at 6:40 every morning.
- I'm constantly exhausted.  Weekends have become not much more than just a time for sleeping and relaxing to reboot for the next week.

Now all these things make it seem like my job is really hard.... And frankly, it is.  It's the hardest thing I've ever done.  One day goes really well and I'm very satisfied with my life.  The next day the kids have to have indoor recess because it starts pouring rain while we're outside, the aide gets taken away from me, and I learn that my school is running out of money so I'm on my own to get materials I need. 

HOWEVER, let's end on a good note.  These are the things that make it all worth it:
- 28 adorable 6-year-olds
- I have my very own classroom.
- I am busy.  I like being busy.  I like having things to do.
- No more sleep problems!  I've never slept better in my life - I'm so exhausted by 9:30 that I fall asleep in about 5 minutes every night.
- My team is amazing!  The faculty at my school is incredible (especially K-3.)  We've gotten really close and we really support each other.
- All the teachers are feeling the same stresses that I am so I have people who understand my situation.
- Even the teachers who have been teaching for 15 years are almost in tears on some days because of how hard it is.  So I don't feel as horrible about feeling overwhelmed.
- I have a wonderful mentor who lets me come into her room any time and just vent and cry if I need to.
- My director (aka principal) is wonderful.  She feels like one of us and I'm never afraid to talk to her about anything. She truly cares about us as human beings instead of just as teachers.
- The inside of the school looks very nice because it was completely gutted and redone.  We're lucky.  The other location looks terrible and depressing.
- I have started looking for help from my wonderful friend, Lyric, who's also a first grade teacher.  She has eased a lot of last week's stress.  I love her.
- The parents have been very supportive and so far, we've only had a couple minor issues that were resolved quickly.
- My kids are adorable and despite what I may think some days, are quite well-behaved for first graders.  They aren't disrespectful and I can tell that they are trying to figure out how to behave at school.
- We have kidney tables.  I love these.
- I now get paid for teaching (unlike student teaching...)
- And last but not least, I HAVE A JOB. I know I am so lucky to have gotten a job so quickly after graduating from college.  I remind myself about this daily. 

So there you go!  I have heard from all teachers that the first year is the hardest but then I tell them about my situation, and they say I've got it even worse.... Comforting eh??  Well as my mom tells me every time I have a bad day, "Just think, if you can get through this year, every year after that will seem like a vacation!"  Let's hope she's right... :)

-Madi