Song: "Crash" by Dave Matthews Band
Mood: Exhausted, sick and hungry

I survived my first week teaching 4th grade!! Not that I, or you, had any doubts about this. I made the little slide show about my room so everyone could get a better idea of what my classroom looks like and see where I live from 7:45am-7:00pm. Yes... I am putting in just under 12 hours each day and still cannot say I have everything done that I need to have done.

This weekend I brought home a butt-load of books and my plan book so I could spend today (Sunday) getting my plans in order for this next week. I've equated my feelings to that of a person in the ocean with no life-jacket and treding water HOPING that someone will come to their rescue. That's me... and if I don't get things planned this weekend, I will definitely drown this week.

My kids are all very cute and sweet. I have one boy that likes to talk A LOT and I've had to talk to him about his behavior one time too many, and then I have another boy that's just odd. He just is a little strange and does things that I think are on the mean side and he shows no remorse. I'm going to keep my eye on him... but so far I get a very weird vibe from him.

I have Open House on Thursday from 6:00-7:30. Now... at Lincoln we had Open House as well but there were a few differences. One... we were paid (there's the union hard at work for ya) and two... it was never a formal presentation to JUST parents. Thursday there are no kids coming at night and there are two sessions (for parents that have kids in two different rooms). I have to give a presentation about how my classroom works. AHHHH!! I HATE talking to adults! I can talk to kids until I am blue in the face, but I cringe at the thought of having to present to parents!!!

Friday we went to our favorite Mexican place for dinner in Fuquay-Varina and then stopped at DQ for some ice cream. Very tastey... and then yesterday we went to Red Robin for dinner. It was soooo good! I hadn't had Red Robin in months. We also went to Target and Lowes and were looking at their grills, but Steve wants to just go back to Home Depot and get one from there. He's supposed to be going today to get that.

After we went shopping yesterday we decided to take a drive and explore. We went to the Harris Nuclear Plant (VERY SCARY) and saw how absolutely close it is to where we live. We also drove around a little and then went to the lake. We're like just down the street from a HUGE lake!! It's amazing what you find when you start to really look!

I am sick right now. I have a student that was out Wednesday and Thursday with strep throat and I think he might have given me his cold. I don't have strep, but I am sick. Then it dawned on me that I was teaching 5th graders for three years and they aren't as germy as younger kids. When I taught 3rd I was sick for 8/10 months of school. I am hoping that my being sick after a week isn't a sign of things to come. The substitute system is so weird in Wake County... I've just decided to work everyday so I don't have to worry about it. You have to call in and then pre-arrange a sub (if you want) and then tell the system who you got to sub for you and then there's all these days that you can or can't take a leave... it's VERY complicated.

I am going to go eat breakfast and get started with my planning. Have a great week and I'm sure I'll be back to write sometime soon! Wish me luck for Thursday!!

Until next time...
>^..^<

Back to School!!

My summer vacation officially ended yesterday. Surprisingly enough, I wasn't as nervous as I normally am at this time. I think it's because it all crept up on me so quickly, I didn't have time to sit down and freak out.

My 4th graders are so damn cute!! I have to keep reminding myself that they're 4th graders and not as mature as 5th graders. They're also a week out of 3rd grade, so they're still like 3rd graders. I think it's going to be a lot of fun though. They giggle at my jokes and when I get serious, they know I mean business and they respect what I ask.

So far they're great. They REALLY want to have a teacher of the day... but they're not quite ready for it yet. I told them that I'm going to keep watching and I'd let them know if I think they're ready for it. They're striving to do better each day, and that's a wonderful thing!

My principal AND assistant principal have both been in my room EACH day to observe what I'm doing. Today, I was teaching grammar and didn't even notice my principal come in. I turned around and she was at my back table watching. It doesn't make me feel too uncomfortable... but they don't give me any feedback, so I'm not sure what they're thinking when they're there.

As each day passes I am learning more and more things. I am starting to feel more comfortable with what I'm doing (which is a good thing because it's been rough). I track out in three weeks (the 27th) and it'll be nice to have three weeks off. I am going to spend the first week of vacation coming in my room and working. It'll help SO MUCH to get things figured out and organized. Then I am going to spend the next two weeks on vacation!!!

I need to get to bed because 6am comes all too soon for me. I'll try to write more later and post some pictures!!

Until next time...
>^..^<

Music: "Get it Shawty"- Lloyd
Mood: Exhausted

What a long week!!!

Monday I went back to work and I was super excited to get into my classroom and start setting it up. Katie was there when I first got there and she helped me bring all my stuff into my room. She's such a sweet girl!!

Monday I spent the whole day working on my room. Setting everything up, organizing and making it look cute. At 10am on Monday I went to the teacher's store with Katie, a girl named Kristen and Lisa (Lisa is on my 4th grade team). We were each given $100 for anything we needed for our rooms. I got a plan book, stickers, some frog stuff, award stuff, a writing book and a frog number line.

When I got back to school I got most of my posters and stuff laminated and cut out. I went to lunch with Lisa, Katie and another person on my team named M.E. (she goes by ME). I stayed until 6:30 working on things and decided to head home.

Tuesday I got to school at 8am and worked all day. Katie had a thing to do at East Garner HS so it was just me, Lisa and M.E.. We went to lunch together (I had Moe's for the first time and was delighted)! Steve came by to help me with some things in my room and it was VERY nice of him. He got to see my room coming along and helped put up posters and my number line. He went home and I stayed and worked until 6:45 and got my room just about done.

Wednesday was the 4th of July. Talk about a sad day for me. I was depressed and cried off and on all day. My dad called me and invited me to come up to the cabin. It was funny and he was joking around, but when I hung up I started crying. I am so homesick and I miss my parents so much. My mom always said that homesickness and seasickness were two of the worst feelings in the world. I've never been sea-sick, but I just have this ache inside me and I yearn to see my parents. I worry that when I do see them, it's going to be all the harder to say goodbye.

Anyway, we didn't do anything major. Steve grilled us hotdogs and we had baked beans and potato salad for dinner. It was similar to what I'd be having with my parents so it brought a little comfort of home.

Thursday I had my teacher meetings ALL DAY. I got there around 7:30 and had a very brief time in my room to work. I had the new teacher meeting from 8:00-11:30. It was very nice... when I got to the media center, they had folders and binders with our names on them and a jean shirt that says Oak Grove staff. It's very cool!!

The new teacher meeting finished and then I went to Wendy's with Katie. We got back just in time to head to the ALL STAFF (like 50 people or so) meeting. We had introductions and then played a few team-building games. That meeting went from 1:00-4:00.

When the meeting ended I stayed until 7:00 working on more things. I still didn't have copies made for "Meet the Teacher" or lesson plans done for Monday. I went into panic mode.

This morning I got to school around 8am and tried to get as much done as I could before 8:30. Not a lot was done. At 8:30 the 4th and 5th grade teachers had a breakfast together. It was SO NICE!!! Each person brought something (I brought plates, cups, bowls and napkins) and we had a little potluck.

At 9:00 I had a meeting scheduled with the school nurse. She's kinda kooky. I haven't met a school nurse that isn't a little kooky yet. (LOL). She informed me that I have two students with allergies to eggs and egg products. I was trained on how to use an epi-pen (which I already knew from last year in 5th grade with Megan P.'s allergy to peanuts).

I was able to work in my room from 9:30-10:30 and then the 4th grade team had a meeting. We talked about field trips and curriculum stuff. At 11:30 I went back to my room to attempt to work. I went to Subway for lunch at 12:30 and then was back around 1:15 to work. I made copies for Meet the Teacher and tried to finalize things in the room.

Around 2:30 parents started to show up... but interestingly enough, Mrs. Turner (my principal) didn't let them in until 3:00 on the dot. Meet the Teacher went from 3-4 and it was DONE by 4:00.

I got to meet 14/24 students and their parents. I was overwhelmed by the support these parents gave. Most welcomed me to NC and were very nice to talk to. I had one dad that was a little confrontational... he assumed that I had never taught before. I didn't back down and answered all of his questions and I was quite proud of how I handled the situation!!

The kids were super cute and very tiny! I am so used to 5th graders!! It's odd too because they're in July of the summer before 4th, so they're still tiny like 3rd graders.

I had just about every parent sign-up to volunteer in my classroom. I had one mom ask if she could be the "room mom." I wasn't sure what that was... apparently each classroom has a "room mom" and that person coordinates the other parents to volunteer. Basically, I work with the room mom and she delegates to the others. It's VERY interesting.

The best was that right at 4:00 Mrs. Turner came on the announcements and thanked the parents for coming to the school and to finish their conversations. She wished them a nice weekend and said that we'd see their kids on Monday. Five minutes later, she came on again and said that all parents needed to vacate the building. THEN she came to each room and if there was a parent, she asked them to leave, and if there wasn't a parent in the room, she turned off the lights and closed the door. (She asked if we could work in the dark for about 5 minutes.)

So... that was my week. This weekend I plan on lesson planning and getting mentally ready for Monday. I stayed until 6:45 tonight. My room is DONE and ready. I just need to get my plans figured out!!

Until next time..

>^..^<

Song: "Fat Lip"- Sum 41
Mood: Exhausted and slightly home-sick :(

So it was bound to happen eventually... I have gotten a slight case of home-sickness. I know it's normal and it'll pass eventually, but it struck me on my way home from my math training... and I started crying... and crying... and crying. And no, I am not PMSing ;)

I had my math training yesterday and today. It was at Stough Elementary and I'm interested to hear how many of you would pronounce the word "Stough." I said it to someone and was told that I was saying it incorrectly and didn't I know the grammar rules? Anyway...

Stough Elementary is quite a drive from Holly Springs! I hit major traffic both days in the morning. I don't know how Steve can handle it. I sat on 55 this morning for more than 45 minutes trying to get to US-1. I HATE traffic that doesn't move!!

The trainings were absolutely excellent!! I got to meet Katie (she'll be teaching 4th grade at Oak Grove this year also, but she's track 4) and I met some other people as well. The presenters were VERY young (like maybe 24 or 25 years-old) but they were awesome. Both have taught Math Trailblazers in their 4th grade classes for a few years and really know the program.

I am so excited to actually have a book and resources there for me to follow! I have a pacing guide and I feel like I can actually do this!!!

Yesterday when I got home I wasn't as excited about it all as I am today. Steve and I drove into Fuquay-Varina to get dinner (we went to our favorite Mexican place and had our less than $20 dinner) and then we went to Wal-Mart (errrr) and then Dairy Queen. It was a great evening, but it went by too fast.

I am excited to have ONE MORE DAY of vacation!! I plan on sleeping in tomorrow. Waking up at 6:15 is just not what I've been used to! I am excited to get into my classroom and work and get it organized. I got an email today from one of the other 4th grade teachers inviting me to lunch on Monday with some of the other 4th grade teachers. I'm excited to meet people!!

I think I am going to REALLY love Oak Grove. I LOVE Wake County Public School System so far. It's amazing that the teachers here REALLY take their jobs seriously. Everyone knows to follow the curriculum and uses the resources provided. It's so weird... Lincoln is like so tiny compared to WCPSS and the demand for teachers is non-existant in Michigan. The people teaching in LCS should be DAMN LUCKY to have jobs (considering how many people are qualified, excellent and looking) and yet... here in NC, there's such a demand and the expectations are SO MUCH MORE!!!

I think LCS needs to revamp everything. Just seeing how organized and disciplined things are here really makes me lose respect for Lincoln. Knowing the people that I was teaching with and the shit they got away with (leaving their rooms unattended... not planning lessons... leaving in the middle of the day to go shopping... showing movies all the time... playing on the computer instead of teaching... running copies whenever they wanted...) is INSANE.

I am so much happier in a district that values and holds the teachers to a very high standard. I guess that could be one reason why all the schools here are rated so highly and the schools in Lincoln just aren't. The teacher quality isn't there... and it's the fault of the administration.

Anyway-- tomorrow we go to take our driver's exams. I am very nervous about not passing and being stuck without a license!!! I want the protect our shores license plate... it's got a beach on it and it's SOOOO cute!!!

Until next time...
>^..^<

Music: "Don't Turn Off the Lights"- Enrique Ingesias
Mood: Happy

Today I had my all-day training for new teachers to Wake County. It wasn't required, but suggested that I go. I am glad that I went! I got up early (6:15) and left the house by 7am so that I'd have more than enough time to get to Leesville Rd. High School in north Raleigh.

I was about five minutes into my commute when I hit MAJOR traffic on 55. I was a little nervous because I thought that the majority of the traffic would be going to US-1 (which is where I was going) but I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were all staying on 55!

Once I was on North US-1 I had smooth driving! No traffic problems at all. I arrived at Leesville Rd. High School at 7:45 and I had until 8:30 before the day began.

I went inside and found the registration table and was given directions to the room where the 4th and 5th grade teachers were being trained. When I got to the room I saw Julie Cuttler (the IRT from Oak Grove)! I was excited to see someone that I knew!

The training was excellent. They went through all the required curriculum for reading, writing, math, social studies and science. They even went through both grades (4th and 5th) so that each grade could see what the grade above/below would be teaching.

After the training for 4th/5th we were given a small break and told to go to the cafeteria for a session on classroom management. I met a girl in the 4th/5th session that was also from Michigan (Traverse City and then Livonia). She also teaches 4th grade and was teaching in Durham last year. Her name was Laura and she and I sat together at the classroom management session.

Even though I've been teaching for a while, I learned a lot from the presenter. She was very funny and explained things according to Harry Wong (educational genius). I loved hearing all the things that I do being reinforced!

After the session we were able to meet the Wake County Teacher of the Year (she's from Fuquay-Varina HS). She gave some words of advice and welcomed us to Wake County. Then we were released for lunch.

Laura and I went to Panera Bread and it was good. We got back at 1:00 for the next session. The second part of the day was rather boring. We were told about growth of the district (which was interesting for the first 30 minutes... but an hour and a half into graphs and demographic data I was checked out). Then we heard about the assessments given by grade and then we learned about staff/professional development. All good stuff.

The best part was the year-round lady. She basically talked about what to expect and how year-round works. I am so glad I picked Oak Grove because they've been doing year-round for 15 years and have it perfected. All the other year-round schools just switched and July 2nd will be their first run.

The superintendent was the last person to come and speak to us. He was very nice and very friendly. It was weird that for such a HUGE district he'd be there to talk to us, but he was very positive and welcoming and professional.

There were only seven people in my morning training... weird to think that there are only seven new hires for the entire county for 4th and 5th grade. Today's session was ONLY for year-round people. Which means that the rest must be traditional calendar. Anyway, the afternoon session had all grades represented and there were only about 45 people. Very small compared to the 2,500 new teachers that they said they hired for 2007-2008. Maybe they didn't know about the training.

I got home and Steve was already here. Not too long after I got home we had a visitor come to our door. It was the "welcome wagon" coming to greet us and welcome us to Holly Springs! It was very nice! She brought all kinds of info and had a lot of handouts for dentist offices, doctors, nail places (that are not in shopping plazas) and hair salons. We were excited and touched that someone actually came to our house to welcome us!!

I'm telling you... the south is wonderful! Everyone has been SO warm and friendly. We couldn't be happier (unless my parents were here)!!

Tomorrow I have another training-- for math. Should be fun. I hate math so much, so maybe this will help me to embrace it!!

Until next time...
>^..^<