Calmly Overwhelmed

Teachers feel many different things. Right now, Overwhelmed just begins to explain the feeling I have. I am a calm overwhelmed though, as I've been here (kind of) before and I've seen everything fall into place and end up (eventually...) going ok.

Ms. B and I met in our classroom for our first full day of work. Where do we start? was a question we asked for probably about 30 minutes as we fumbled around the room aimlessly looking about. Luckily, we were blessed with help from an experienced 6th grade teacher. She didn't know what she was getting into... we were Loaded with questions. She shared with us some of the expectations for our classroom set up, which helped guide us through the day.

It's very interesting how different of an experience this is from my teaching experiences in Kansas. I'm very excited to use new ideas in the classroom to create a learning environment that works best for my students. Some of the requirements of our classroom include:

• Word Wall - We are not really sure exactly how we are going to use this, because I feel like it should be somehow separated for each of the subjects. I also want to make sure that we DO use the Word Wall. It seems the Word Walls were required, but some of the teachers hinted at not using them to their fullest, rather just because they were required.
  
• Centers for each subject - Math, Writing, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Technology, and Listening. These are physical areas in the classroom where each particular subject "takes place". It's interesting getting these centers into their places, especially because Ms. B and I aren't quite sure how this will actually look as part of our teaching and classroom. We are constantly thinking out loud, trying, trying again, asking for suggestions and opinions from others, and just agreeing that if it doesn't work, we can change it after we see what would work best for our kids.
  
• Little to No Teacher Desk Area - We were told that the administration doesn't like to see the teacher at a desk during the school day, so they encourage teachers not to have a desk. I guess that keeps teachers from just sitting behind a desk (and I wanted to not be one to be found behind a desk anyway... I guess this will help keep me up and moving all day). The thing about not having a desk though, is no teacher issued computer. To me, a teacher's computer seemed like a given. The teacher has their own computer to do their grades and other work on... Not here. It's fine though. We'll just use one of the two in the classroom Technology Center. I'll also use my home computer, which is completely fine, because I do my best work in my own personal space.
  

As far as our progress, (I would have taken pictures, but we ran at of time as we had to leave by 3:30 p.m. so the Custodians could finish their work), we have our centers somewhat set up. Our desks are set up and each has a chair. Our Math Center has all the supplies and manipulatives. We started hanging some posters.

As far as what we have left to do... Oooo the list goes on and on. I won't torture you with that, but a few things include getting all the books and curriculum for 5th grade, organizing our classroom library (VERY happy this is a requirement in each room!), hanging bulletin boards, organizing the rest of the centers, having a padlock broken off the mystery closet that we hope to use as a teacher resource closet, and many more tasks.

Countdown until school starts... Wednesday for classroom work, Thursday is school meetings, Friday ???? hopefully some time to finish preparation for the 1st day... Weekend... relax and enjoy the extra day :) and Tuesday... STUDENTS! First Day of School.