Year Three Begins Now.

I am nearly overwhelmed with self-consciousness. I feel like I should be calm and confident going into my third year of teaching, but instead I'm more nervous than ever. I don't feel as though I was as successful as I should have been during the last year. I'm changing settings - moving to traditional HS, and teaching a course I'm less comfortable with (World History instead of 8th grade U.S. or Civics and Econ). I need new management strategies, I need new lesson plans, I need a revised long-term plan... So much to do.

What I know about my classes so far is that they will be around 15 to 18 students, and one period is honors level. When I asked what that means, all I was told was to use more primary sources. Thanks.

I really wish I was still getting support from TFA, but that is not the case. My two years are done and I'm cut off. I understand why they do this - Program Directors have SO much on their plates already (especially this year, as they take on greater community engagement responsibilities), and it would be very difficult to have them continue in a mentorship role with "graduated" corps members. So as my old roommate would say, it's time to put on the big girl panties and do it on my own.

Old mantras are also helpful - beg, borrow and steal. Going to tap as many resources as possible. I know I have plenty for curriculum and assessment, and I'm reading a lot about management this summer.

In other news, I've got two more weeks until I move to my new house. I'm moving to the halfway point between "civilization" (read: choir, restaurants, movie theatre, coffee shops, mall) and school. It's a bit farther than I wanted to drive to school, but got an unbeatable deal on rent at this house, which should compensate for the gas.

If I stayed a 3rd year, I had originally wanted to work on a lot of community building within the school - sponsoring clubs (and encouraging other staff to as well), advocate for student activities and school spirit initiatives, that sort of thing. Not knowing if I was going to be here or not for most of the summer very much delayed that planning however. I'm hoping that myself, another 3rd year and any other TFA teachers who want to help can still do something though. Our kids need something to look forward to. A reason to care about BC Schools - especially the high schoolers. I would have quit school too, if there was nothing but sub-par classes to look forward to as well.

Right now I need to get back to my long-term plan draft. Time to plan some units!!