This year marks my fourth year teaching, and I have seen quite a variety of classrooms, students, families, teachers, buildings, professional developers, playgrounds, et cetera. As I prepare myself to embark on yet another journey, my fourth school site in as many years, I feel the same amount of measurable apprehension as I feel before every new experience.
For the first time, however, I will teach the same subject and grade levels as I did the previous year. This is exciting because I will actually be able to improve upon my practice by re-teaching curriculum I have previously taught. What is most exciting is the opportunity to work with a department rather than a grade-level team. I feel as though there us so much ahead of me, but of course, I have to prepare for the onslaught of students that will enter my classroom.
My room is ready and it looks great. It is the oldest room in which I've been. No classroom in which I've previously taught was older than three years. This classroom, however, is a bungalow and more importantly, it does not have air conditioning. Let me add: I will have no fewer than twenty-eight students - middle schoolers at that, in any classroom. With the impending Indian summer, I pray for the donation of a portable air conditioning unit.
Speaking of class size, no teacher is supposed to have more than 180 total students in middle or high school. This year, not including advisory, I will have around 170. This is about seventy more students than last year. As an English teacher, I will likely be MIA grading for a good portion of the year.
As I plan the year ahead, I feel the nerves. Like the students, I wonder what everyone will be like, how all will get along, and what the perfect back to school outfit will be. Will they like me? Will the students judge me? Will they think I'm - shall I say it? Cool? Then I think: I don't care. I have control, I am the man, and I am master and commander, ruling over my own domain.
I look forward to the diversity of students, the inspiring of excellence, and personal growth over the next year. I finally decided to share my experiences as a teacher by blogging because, let's face it, being an educator is actually rather entertaining. Why not share?
