How are you?

[flamingeaux]

How do you feel about the year so far? Any particular issues you're worried about or proud to say you've overcome?

[nsl]

I'm doing well, just a little irritated with my PLC. Everyone seems to be looking to me to create inordinately large chunks of our common plans, and I can't be the one to always take on that job, especially with a brand-new AP prep to contend with outside of this PLC's work.

By and large my students have been lovely so far, though, and I'm very happy with my new classroom.

[grover]

I love my 7th and 8th graders! 6th graders are crazy, but I'm adjusting to them.

Feeling swamped overall though right now.

[flamingeaux]

I was seriously worried, about how to manage high schoolers, but overall I'm getting more comfortable everyday, and feel like I'm headed in a good direction.

[flamingeaux]

Sept 10, 2017 10:57:17 GMT -5 grover said:

I love my 7th and 8th graders! 6th graders are crazy, but I'm adjusting to them.

Feeling swamped overall though right now.

6th graders are in fact completely bananas, in my experience.

[erbear]

Exhausted. I hate the first week of school. So boring and so.much.talking. I can't wait to get into just teaching.

[erbear]

Sept 10, 2017 10:57:17 GMT -5 grover said:

I love my 7th and 8th graders! 6th graders are crazy, but I'm adjusting to them.

Feeling swamped overall though right now.

LOL. I picked up a 6th grade class last year after only teaching 7th and 8th and it took a lot of adjusting of expectations. They are SO YOUNG.

[Jalapeñomel]

I've only taught for two days! Lol

[W.T.Faulkner]

I'm already sick. Fuck. lol

[taratru]

Sick. I didn't get sick when I was dean. Damn classrooms, cesspools of germs and shit.

Other than that, I'm back in the groove. But I'm really struggling with this being my reality for the next however many years.

[nellgirl]

We've only had our new kids for just under a day. Other than two who are new to the school, I've taught them all in some capacity before (some were just in one subject, but still).
We have new admin, a tonne of new staff, and still a few vacant positions, so that's pretty chaotic.

[imimahoney]

Doing ok! Classes are fine, kids are relatively good. I hate grading though. I wish there were TAs in high school.

[spedteachermom]

I looped with my kids last year, so haven't had a new group for two years. I'm having a little bit of a hard time connecting with this group. I've only had them for like four days, but it's discouraging. Plus, going out on maternity leave at February vacation, and already counting the days....

[cherryvalance]

I'm missing the start of my thirteenth year and it's stressing me out! I wonder what I'm going to return to in November.

[RoxMonster]

Already been sick, just getting over it. Already swamped under piles of grading. Feeling very blah about this year.

[sugarbear]

Sept 10, 2017 14:35:35 GMT -5 erbear said:

Exhausted. I hate the first week of school. So boring and so.much.talking. I can't wait to get into just teaching.

I just said this last night. Give me October, PLEASE.

(The meetings. OMG, the meetings.)

[georgeglass]

I'm busy planning Spring Break and summer vacations...

(I work year-round, though, so the last few weeks with students back has made me extra crazy - I didn't get as much done in the summer as I wanted and we have two major events these first two months, which is my job)

[katfco]

I love, love, love my new class and my new teaching partner!

The only negative is the district's massive contract issues. The union voted to accept a really crappy deal tonight, but at least we're done working to the rule so at least now I can get my work done.

[spedrunner]

HOnestly, I am frazzled, stressed and overwhelmed and desperately trying NOT to be

My school is undergoing construction this year , so it was closed and inaccessible all summer (which was great, forced us to enjoy the summer)  


Some concerns/stressors:

moving into a new classroom with little time to prep

early back to school night

no contract - union fights, forming an action team

i teach special ed and am so completely overwhelemed by all the teachers, new students, their 1-1 behavior supports, parents, etc, etc, etc I feel like everyone is coming at me at once, i have not had time to stop , think or breathe

Some positives:

New LARGER classroom with Air!!!

support staff!

a job, benefits 

great set of students!

Year long intensive Wilson Training

This year my goal is to balance work and my home life. I want to do the best I can, without having to put in crazy hours and work myself to death (bc it does not matter how much I work, the work never ends!)

[spedrunner]

Sept 10, 2017 10:57:17 GMT -5 grover said:

I love my 7th and 8th graders! 6th graders are crazy, but I'm adjusting to them.

Feeling swamped overall though right now.

what do you teach? I also have 6-8th, resource language arts and math. My head is spinning trying to plan for all the classes and levels

[flamingeaux]

Sept 12, 2017 20:18:39 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

Sept 10, 2017 10:57:17 GMT -5 grover said:

I love my 7th and 8th graders! 6th graders are crazy, but I'm adjusting to them.

Feeling swamped overall though right now.

what do you teach? I also have 6-8th, resource language arts and math. My head is spinning trying to plan for all the classes and levels

Are you common core?

[grover]

Sept 12, 2017 20:18:39 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

Sept 10, 2017 10:57:17 GMT -5 grover said:

I love my 7th and 8th graders! 6th graders are crazy, but I'm adjusting to them.

Feeling swamped overall though right now.

what do you teach? I also have 6-8th, resource language arts and math. My head is spinning trying to plan for all the classes and levels

8th cotaught science, 7th cotaught SS, 6th and 7th reading intervention.
I'm the sped coteacher but all the sped is pushed into gen ed.. The reading intervention materials are way too high for all the students in that class. On top of it, all three areas are new to me so I'm learning two new big content areas and trying to find reading materials on my own since school won't provide anything but the inaccessible curriculum.

[spedrunner]

Sept 12, 2017 22:07:56 GMT -5 flamingeaux said:

Sept 12, 2017 20:18:39 GMT -5 spedrunner said:

what do you teach? I also have 6-8th, resource language arts and math. My head is spinning trying to plan for all the classes and levels

Are you common core?

Yes

[hippygirl]

I love my sweet little kiddos. I do not love the demanding parents. Gonna be a long year!

[flamingeaux]

I've taught SPED resource, and last year I was teaching 5-8th reading. I found the easiest thing to do was to teach the same strand to all grades. So I was doing RL5.1,6.1,7.1,8.1 for the week. Start with something a grade level or two below, and then move up towards their level. Then your 6th graders regular work, becomes your scaffolded instruction for your 7th graders, and so on.

[bethaboo]

I'm completely overwhelmed with my workload, but love my kids this year. I start my day smiling and end it smiling - with just a little bit of gritted teeth in between.