I'm planning and prepping for the new school year. Once again I feel like I'm a new teacher. I've felt like a new teacher so many times. When I started teaching. When I moved to Grade 2. When I moved to Grade 4....and now as I teach Grade 4, although that is consistent, it's a new curriculum to learn and it's a brand new school environment.
I've been teaching at Joyce PS for my entire teaching career so far. The staff, the routines, the students were all familiar to me. Starting August I have to relearn all of that. I'll be trying to figure my way around the school again. I'll be meeting a whole school of new staff. Learning new routines (recess, lunch, photocopying, supplies, parents) and have a whole school of students to get to know. I know, I know, start with my class, but some of the teachers are going to know some history about the students, their siblings, their strengths...sigh. And then...there's the whole issue of being in a Christian school now where I've always taught and studied in the public school system. Prayer meetings, Bible classes, Chapel...that'll be all new too!
So needless to say, all of this preparation is quite daunting. I've been picking away at my to do list in my head slowly and I've gotten through reading through the curriculum with a fine tooth comb. My next tasks will be scheduling, long-term plan and short-term plan. Next Wednesday I'll start tackling my classroom and setting it up. I'm excited..but I'm nervous.
So today's Bible Gateway Verse of the Day on my Google Desktop was definitely very comforting. It actually reminded me of that Footprints poem. I love that poem, it has such a rich imagery.
It's funny, while trying to find the poem to post on the blog I found out all of this sticky copyright legal battle behind the poem. Kind of sad that such a meaningful poem has such a non-peaceful story behind it.
It reminds me so much more that as a human being I can only do so much, and with God by me, I do not need to be fearful, but I can be strengthened by the fact that God is lifting me up with his right hand.
1 comment:
This time last year I was feeling exactly like you do...all these new routines and things to learn in a school can be pretty overwhelming. You sound like you are a planner. Totally not like me...I'm a fly by the seat of your pants kind of girl. Anyway, I'm sure that the plans you are making will set you on the path to a great beginning! And I trust that you will have some great veteran teachers who will think of all the important things that you'll need to know and fill you in on them. Last year, one of my friends gave this big long speech to the kids about how the BELL didn't end the class he ended the class so the students needed to wait for him to dismiss them before they left. After the big long speech, a student raised their hand and said, "Mr. Jackson, we don't have a BELL." :) Yep, sometimes it's the little details that we need to know. You'll do great, Sandra!
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