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Just started a new teaching position....

by Not ready!

Sep 17, 2005

/blockquote>

Hi everyone,
I looked for 3 years for a teaching position, working as
an aide during that time. Every time I felt ready to
throw in the towel (because I was so frustrated at not
getting a job), I realized I would not be happy without
being in the school environment, around the kids. They
make my day, and I love to teach. But I have always known
that I prefer working with small groups over working with
a whole class at once, so always I knew I would be
overwhelmed and apprehensive when starting my first
teaching job....
Well, I was called 3 weeks after school started - a school
was overloaded in 3 classrooms and was splitting them.
They created a 1-2 split, and hired me to teach the new
class. I am going to have first and second graders; their
skills are all over the place - some first graders are
reading level 2 books, some are reading level 20. Some
second graders are at level 4, some are at lev...See More

Comment

(5)

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sue19468 /blockquote>

LONG REPLY!

I don't usually post, but I feel badly that you are off
to such a rocky start. This sounds like a very difficult
situation that you will not be able to fix overnight. I have
been teaching primary grades for 16 years, and a few times I
was hired a few days before school started, but at l...See More

Sep 18, 2005

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Heidi /blockquote>

On 9/17/05, Not ready! wrote:
> Hi everyone,
> I looked for 3 years for a teaching position, working as
> an aide during that time. Every time I felt ready to
> throw in the towel (because I was so frustrated at not
> getting a job), I realized I would not be happy without
> being in...See More

Sep 22, 2005

report post

Still feeling overwhelmed /blockquote>

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. I am still feeling very overwhelmed a
week into this new position. The maintenance man at my school
( a super nice guy!) came and boarded my door up for me so
that it could not be broken into. He also chatted me up about
how he thinks its atrocious that the school would put a ...See More

Sep 22, 2005

report post

Brett /blockquote>

On 9/22/05, Still feeling overwhelmed wrote:
> Hi,
> Thanks for the reply. I am still feeling very overwhelmed a
> week into this new position. The maintenance man at my school
> ( a super nice guy!) came and boarded my door up for me so
> that it could not be broken into. He also chatted m...See More

Oct 15, 2005

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Concerned I think alot of teachers tend to get wrapped up in pretty classroom decour.. Those kids are prob so poor you think they are really going to care about a rug?? they prob dont have one at their house even!! its about what you teach them.. if you would rather teach in a cushiony setting then switch jobs after a year... These kids are going to need alo...See MoreI think alot of teachers tend to get wrapped up in pretty classroom decour.. Those kids are prob so poor you think they are really going to care about a rug?? they prob dont have one at their house even!! its about what you teach them.. if you would rather teach in a cushiony setting then switch jobs after a year... These kids are going to need alot more than pretty cubbies and it seems like you are focusing on all the wrong things...

On 9/17/05, Not ready! wrote: > Hi everyone, > I looked for 3 years for a teaching position, working as > an aide during that time. Every time I felt ready to > throw in the towel (because I was so frustrated at not > getting a job), I realized I would not be happy without > being in the school environment, around the kids. They > make my day, and I love to teach. But I have always known > that I prefer working with small groups over working with > a whole class at once, so always I knew I would be > overwhelmed and apprehensive when starting my first > teaching job.... > Well, I was called 3 weeks after school started - a school > was overloaded in 3 classrooms and was splitting them. > They created a 1-2 split, and hired me to teach the new > class. I am going to have first and second graders; their > skills are all over the place - some first graders are > reading level 2 books, some are reading level 20. Some > second graders are at level 4, some are at level 25. Some > have not been tested, so they have no idea what their > levels are.... > I walked into my classroom to set up on my first day and > saw that it was mostly BARE. There was a teacher desk, one > tall narrow cabinet with 6 shelves, and about 5 tables, a > chalkboard and one bulletin board. NO cabinets, no > shelves, no student coat hooks or cubbies. No file > cabinets, no drawers, no place to store anything. PLUS, > NO teacher materials. I was given a set of first grade > reading materials 3 hours after my first day 'officially' > ended (ha ha ha!), but have no second grade materials, nor > do I have any math, science, social studies or language > curriculum. No student books (except for a few leveled > first grade books and some basals (not enough for all the > kids). Also, no supplies (paper, etc), except for some > pencils, 4 boxes of crayons, post-its and glue - and THOSE > were given to me by a teacher who took pity on me. They > basically turned me into a barren classroom and > said "Okay, set it up." I have very limited resources, > being a first year teacher, and feel extremely > overwhelmed. I spent my first day (I was supposed to be > setting up the classroom, but someone thought it would be > better if I looked for my curriculum materials instead), > in the basement crawling over boxes breathing in mold and > dust while looking for my math and reading instructional > materials, which I never found. Went to the principal > with a list at the end of the day asking for some things I > needed and was told I would need to provide most of it > myself (this is a BARE classroom, and there is no place to > store any materials!). He also told me that all new > teachers feel this way and meet these challenges, and that > I should give up the idea of the "perfect" classroom (he's > NOT listening - I gave up perfect the second I stepped > into the room - I would just like acceptable at this > point!) The interview team really stressed literacy > instruction, but I have no materials or places for > centers. They told me to buy a rug for my reading center > (which currently has no books, no budget to buy books, and > no books provided by the school) - I have priced rugs - a > large enough rug to hold all my students will cost me > around $300. They said that is a "self purchase" as are > bookcases, books and book crates. I have already spent > $600 (on credit) for materials (mostly teacher > reproducibles, a few educational (reading) games, and the > like - I have to have SOMETHING for the kids to do!), now > I have to spend a LOT more on other materials, books, > furniture....I am so extremely overwhelmed. I can borrow > some (VERY OLD) books from my mom for a classroom library, > but have no place to actually put them as I have no > bookshelves and currently all the tables are serving > as "counter space" to hold what few materials I was > given. I just stood in my classroom and cried yesterday > at 7 PM after I had been there for 12 hours straight > because the room looked awful and I know it will never be > ready for kids with what I have been given to work with. > > Add that to the fact that my classroom is an outdoor > trailer, with a door that does not lock (so I'm afraid > what little resources I have brought to the room will be > stolen at night), no bathroom or sink (so my students will > have to wander outside in the winter to go to the > bathroom), spiders everywhere, and a large mousehole in > the wall - with sometning definitely moving inside. I am > now afraid, too, that my students will be split up for > specials 2nd going with second grade, 1st going with first > grade, meaning I will always have kids in my room, and > will recieve no planning time or bathroom breaks...We also > do not have recess, which leaves just a 40 minute lunch > break, and that is it. And I was told my second graders > have about a 15 minutes attention span, but I am supposed > to teach reading and language for the entire morning, math > all afternoon, and science or social studies only when I > can fit it in and tie it in to reading. (plus, I have to > teach to 2 grades, so I have to occupy one group while > instructing the other - with no materials!) > > To top it all off, two days after signing my contract, I > was called by a much nicer district and offered a straight > grade classroom (in an actual building with actual > supplies), which I would have loved to take - but had > already signed a contract. I feel so defeated, and quite > mis-led as well. I asked and asked after interview if I > could see the curriculum guide, could see the classroom, > asked what materials and resources would be available - > and nothing. In fact, I still have not been given a > curriculum guide or staff handbook, and only got my class > list after begging and following someone all over the > school asking for it (so I could put the kids names up on > the bulletin board). The first grade teacher told me > parents are calling right and left because their children > are upset that they will be uprooted from their classroom, > so I see problems there as well. One of the teachers (at > least the staff is VERY nice, that is a plus in this > otherwise dismal situation) told me she would not have > signed a contract until she knew exactly what she was > getting herself into. I wish i'd have known that - I was > told you take what you get, because teaching jobs are VERY > hard to come by in my area. She also told me I am > teaching in a suburban school, I should not have to work > with no supplies or furniture as though I were in > Appalachia..... > I left a beautiful, well-equipped district (I worked as an > aide, but still - it was nice) to come to this. I have > NOTHING ready, and am supposed to have just one more day > to set up before getting the kids. I fear this is going > to be a LOOOONG difficult year. Today I am going shopping > to spend a LOT more money that I DONT have to buy things > for my classroom - but with a bare space and no materials, > I have absolutely no idea what should be a priority. I am > just devestated, and every few minutes, I start to cry > again. This just seems hopeless. And to think, people > are always saying teachers have it so easy...I'd love to > see one of those people dealing with this situation, > knowing that kids are coming after just 3 more days (1 > school day)and knowing that there is truly NOTHING in the > classroom for them. > UGH I am so frustrated and find myself wishing I had never > gone into this in the first place. Please, someone tell > me it will get better. :o(

Sep 8, 2009

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