It’s the night before my first day of school – take 7. I’m feeling a lot of those back to school jitters, so I figured I would take a second to kind of process things out and see if it helps.
Let’s start with a little background information and update on where I’m at! This is my 7th year teaching, and will be my 5th year in a high school setting. I am at a new district, with 2 new preps – although I’ve taught level 1 for four years, so it’s “new”..but how new can it be with novices, right? I’m also traveling between classrooms again, but it will be my first year traveling between schools. Oh, and my husband and I are expecting our first (!!). I’ll be 38 weeks pregnant on my first day of school this year. WHEW. It’s kind of a lot.
Fears
So, let’s get all the jitters out with the worries and anxieties I have floating around – although I think I may have shared them in my update!
- New district – which means new lingo, new evals, new “focuses”, new systems (Did you know course captains, department chairs, building chairs and PLC leaders are not all the same role? My head is spinning.)
- New preps/new curriculum – the last time this happened, my work/life balanced flopped. failed. miserably – I was at school from 6:45-6:something every day. I CAN’T do that ever again.
- First time traveling between schools – Why did I sign up to drive more? Also, SO many emails!
- First time maternity leave
- Adjusting to life as a working mom – will I sleep? will I have time/space to pump? will I be able to fulfill both of those roles?
Hopes
There’s a lot of scary things looming before me, but I am also very hopeful! Here are some of the things I am looking forward to about this year:
- First Day/Week – Circling with sports! This was SO fun last year and I feel really calm about starting like this.
- Continuing my transition to CI – last year I learned A LOT and had some good reflections and AHA! moments along the way. I hope to continue that journey and continue to reflect.
- Both online PLC via Instagram and Twitter and my personal network is just overflowing with amazing educators & supportive people. You all rock and make me feel like I can do anything (but also remind me that I cannot do everything).
- I am SO excited to work with this team of people. I admire them a lot and can’t wait to learn from them.
Happy New Year!
What are some of your hopes and fears for the new year? Whatever they are, I wish you the best!