First Year Teaching Reflections - Part 2
Once I accepted my position, I began to have second thoughts. During my program of study, I was assigned two mentor teachers. One with which I have developed a very close relationship and one who (this is my perception) I never clicked with. This mentor teacher, I felt was always comparing me to her past student teachers. So I contacted them both right away, the first told me that the feeling that I got when I was in my interview was important and gave me a few questions to ask about the charter school. She also told me that she had friends that were in charter schools who were incredibly happy and that it varies from school to school. The other teacher told me that it was a job and that I should be grateful for it.
I began to get very nervous about the fact that I accepted the job. It seemed like I was making the right decision, but was I? Was I settling because I couldn't find a job in the district I wanted? The pay was less than the district I wanted but more than subbing, would it be enough? Would I be happy at this school? There were some details that were left out of my offer letter, should I have asked for more? I didn't even truly understand the position.
Then, a week later, it was time for our professional development days. I was so very nervous. But I was also excited. I had found out that I would be in a Title 1 position. Which meant that I was essentially going to be tutoring students in their areas of need. It wasn't exactly what I had been hoping for, but it was a job and I was positive that I was going to like the school.
Once I walked in for my first day of professional development, I was nervous beyond belief. However, that first day I began to talk to the other teachers. I was surprised to see that there were a lot of new staff. I also noticed early on that the new staff were sitting together and the old staff were sitting together. That first day, I had sat with the old staff, not realizing there had been a difference. As the day progressed, I met people that were really nice, but they all seemed a little apprehensive about the year.
We did a lot of team building that first day, we had to come up with a mission statement for the teachers. We also had to talk about what brought us there or brought us back. I noticed that the old teachers all said that the reason they were back was that there was really a sense of family. I was curious what that meant. But, during the year, I would really find out what that meant.
A few days in, we went over what my job would truly entail. This was shocking to me, I have to say it threw me into a true tailspin. I guess, I didn't understand that charter schools are lacking funding. So I would be working as a title 1 teacher with third and fifth grade, but I would also be part of the team that did breakfast, lunch, and dismissal. I was astounded. I would be lying if I said that this was a fine change with me. I had wanted to work with the younger grades and I really didn't think these extra things would be being asked of me. I know that this sounds like I'm childish, but I think I just didn't know what all I was getting into. My job involved no lesson planning, because I would just be following what the classroom teacher planned. I also was going to be a building substitute. I began to truly question if I had made the right choice. Quickly though, I found out the answer.
I began to get very nervous about the fact that I accepted the job. It seemed like I was making the right decision, but was I? Was I settling because I couldn't find a job in the district I wanted? The pay was less than the district I wanted but more than subbing, would it be enough? Would I be happy at this school? There were some details that were left out of my offer letter, should I have asked for more? I didn't even truly understand the position.
Then, a week later, it was time for our professional development days. I was so very nervous. But I was also excited. I had found out that I would be in a Title 1 position. Which meant that I was essentially going to be tutoring students in their areas of need. It wasn't exactly what I had been hoping for, but it was a job and I was positive that I was going to like the school.
Once I walked in for my first day of professional development, I was nervous beyond belief. However, that first day I began to talk to the other teachers. I was surprised to see that there were a lot of new staff. I also noticed early on that the new staff were sitting together and the old staff were sitting together. That first day, I had sat with the old staff, not realizing there had been a difference. As the day progressed, I met people that were really nice, but they all seemed a little apprehensive about the year.
We did a lot of team building that first day, we had to come up with a mission statement for the teachers. We also had to talk about what brought us there or brought us back. I noticed that the old teachers all said that the reason they were back was that there was really a sense of family. I was curious what that meant. But, during the year, I would really find out what that meant.
A few days in, we went over what my job would truly entail. This was shocking to me, I have to say it threw me into a true tailspin. I guess, I didn't understand that charter schools are lacking funding. So I would be working as a title 1 teacher with third and fifth grade, but I would also be part of the team that did breakfast, lunch, and dismissal. I was astounded. I would be lying if I said that this was a fine change with me. I had wanted to work with the younger grades and I really didn't think these extra things would be being asked of me. I know that this sounds like I'm childish, but I think I just didn't know what all I was getting into. My job involved no lesson planning, because I would just be following what the classroom teacher planned. I also was going to be a building substitute. I began to truly question if I had made the right choice. Quickly though, I found out the answer.
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