After All This Time...

I have learned so much in the last few months. I've learned things about myself and things about who I want to be as a teacher.

So, to catch everyone up, I am loving my job as a high school teacher. I love my school, my students, my administration, and my teacher friends. 

I truly could not ask for a better experience. 

However, I have hit a few trouble spots that I'm sure veterans are all too familiar with:

1. helicopter parents

2. lawnmower parents

3. students who lie to their parents

4. students who message inappropriate things in the middle of the night

5. students who get overwhelmed at the mention of a test

6. students who ignore tests

7. students who have no filter

8. students who don't make eye contact (ever) (no, really. I'm serious.)

The list could go on and on.

But here I sit on a Saturday night totally and completely in love with my life.

More stories coming soon.

Zilla

10 Things I learned from Stand and Deliver:

1. Arrive early and preferably before the first day of school because you never know what will happen. 
At the beginning of the movie, the teacher (Mr. Escalante) arrives the day the students do and only right before the first bell. He arrives in class after the majority of his students and demonstrates absolutely no classroom management skills. He did not originally want to be a teacher but decided to do so later in life. 
You need to be prepared.
 Be prepared for the good, the bad, and the ugly. 
Be prepared to go above and beyond for your students. 
Be prepared to work harder than you've ever planned.



2. Dressing up and role playing can be extremely effective-- even with kids that seem hard to reach. 
The first lesson that the viewer gets to see is Mr. Escalante chopping up apples and doing a short introduction to multiplying fractions and percentages. You have to be able to present the material in a way that is interesting and engaging. That is standard for what most of us have heard in our education classes. It's easy to think it and to plan to be engaging and passionate and even entertaining. How do we really know if we have succeeded? I don't have an answer. I don't know how to tell. I do think it's about how the students respond. Do the students succeed? Does it work for them? If not, try something different. 
Easy peasy lemon squeezy. 



3. Don't back down or let your students take advantage of you. 
Also during his first lesson, he is approached by a student in a gang who threatens him and pushes his boundaries. While he does respond in a way that I wouldn't necessarily advise (he insults the students and has heavy sarcasm). He knew his role in the classroom. He knew his subject. He knew how to lead. In a lot of books geared toward first year teachers, a main topic is how to present your rules. I've been told often to be firm but fair and ease up over time. I, personally, don't believe in letting a secondary classroom come up with the rules. As the expert in the classroom, I believe the teacher should be the one to set up the rules and put structure in place. Students need structure to succeed. 



4. Knowing your students is half the battle. 
Escalante took time to know his students and to use their lives in his lessons. His math lessons included real-world application, which is one of the most important parts, in my opinion. Your students need to know that what you're teaching is valuable and can help them in the future.You may never even begin to imagine the responsibility some of your children are burdened with. Some may be the caretaker of younger siblings while parents work the night shift or not have a permanent home at all. They may have a tough home life that does not have anything to do with their socioeconomic status. Show that you are interested in their success, interested in their personal goals, and invested in their futures.



5. Push your students to achieve their potential. Do not let them settle for "easy." 
Students will rise to the expectations you hold them to. Build them up. Believe in them. Tell them they can learn, they are capable, and they are worth it. Push and challenge them. Be with them every step of the way. KNOW YOUR STUDENTS ABILITIES AND PUSH THEM BEYOND WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN DO. A student who isn't being challenged enough will act out similarly to a student who is being left behind. It is your job to provide opportunities for student success and student progress. 



6. Repetition may seem elementary, but it builds confidence and forms a memory. 
I love repetition as a teaching tool. I know that it's very old school, but I taught my 7th grade students the Civil War and Civil Rights amendments through repetition. I'm not saying that repetition should be your only trick, but every educator knows that students need to see the information multiple times. Other than teaching, I've also seen it as a way to get the class focused. It could be as easy as hand clapping or repeating a phrase. It could be a sound of, like a roll call. Repetition (like routine) can be calming and a valuable asset to a teacher.



7. Teaching is about "ganas"-- desire. 
Teachers cannot go into the profession holding anything back. To be a success, you have to be all in. If you is not all in, then the students are not served to the best of your ability and that is unacceptable. These children are the future and you have been selected to help mold them. You are there to be a role-model, a counselor, and a guide on top of just being a teacher. As a teacher you are responsible for bringing that desire and lighting a flame for your students to carry with them into the world. 



8. Motivate your students by building community. 
Your students are a team. You are part of that team. You win as a team. You lose as a team. You are a leader. Accountability is something that seems to be disappearing in society. Your students are probably not at the point where they can hold themselves accountable all the time. If you teach your students to work together and hold each other accountable, you are not only creating a team but a community support system. The sense of community is my number one priority when teaching. My students need to feel safe to participate, share, make mistakes, and learn. It is going to be hard for the majority of children to have the confidence to do all of this if they do not have at least a small sense of community. And that starts with you.



9. Regardless on whether your students pass a test or not, they've learned-- if you've done your job. 
If you say the phrase, "Teachers are just there to teach to the test," I can guarantee all of the educators within earshot will take offense. I do not teach just history. I teach kids. There is no test for that. I did not get into education to learn about assessments and grading. I got into education to see those "lightbulb" moments, to watch a struggling student figure out how to learn, to watch a withdrawn 'discipline problem' find her motivation and apply it to life, and to watch my students become successful after they leave my classroom. I do not care if they can recite the Bill of Rights in order, word-for-word. They ultimately need to know how to treat people, how to learn and apply new skills, and how to self-motivate. Those are the skills that transcend the classroom.



10. You are human, not a machine. 
This one is hard for so many people. In the movie, Mr. Escalante is teaching his classes, teaching night classes, and taking on extra work. He ultimately succumbs to a heart attack. It's a tough realization that he had to slow down and even stop. But you can't just push a button and turn off being a teacher. You can't just turn off giving 100% to your students. That's why I think the most important characteristic in being a teacher is not just caring for your subject or students; it's about being self-aware. A self-aware teacher knows that he/she will make mistakes. A self-aware teacher knows that it is impossible to give students 100% if he/she is not feeling 100%. You have to take care of yourself. You have to attempt the 8 hours recommended for sleep. You have to eat right and stay hydrated. You have to go home and leave your papers at school (as much as possible), which may not be often, but you will need to allow yourself to take breaks.
(I had points taken off of an observation because my cooperating teacher let it slip that I was arriving early and staying late every day. My professor also had a hand in my learning this particular point. I am grateful to him for that.)




We have to remember that teaching is not a fairy-tale, like Hillary Swank would have us believe in Freedom Writers. It is going to be hard. There is going to be a learning curve.
I just know that whenever I need a little motivation, I can look up to Mr. Escalante.

But what do I know? I'm just a first-year.
Leave your thoughts and comments below!



Zilla

Brace yourself... This is going to be a long one.

I just need to rant.

I don't really know why I'm in such a bad mood lately. Everything is going so well in my life. I have a brand new job that I could not be more excited about, I have a new niece who is the most precious thing in the world, I have a husband who busts his butt for me on the daily, and yet I still feel frustrated with where I am right now.

My mantra these days is: 

You are neither ahead nor are you behind in life. 

You are living precisely how you are meant to live. 

You are right where you need to be.

And it helps. It is the most comforting pep talk I could give myself. 

I use to avoid going on Facebook like the plague earlier this summer. I would even try to stay off Twitter because I could not bear the pressure. I kept seeing all of my friends announcing engagements, marriages, pregnancies, babies, new jobs, and all of these wonderful things. And I do hate to sound bitter but I was. I wanted to have special announcements to show the world that I was doing something with my life. I wanted to show that I was successful and that even though I had married young, I was still achieving my goals and living a life to be proud of.

I knew I had worked hard through student teaching and through my substituting days. I fostered new relationships with faculty and staff at different schools, but I knew I wanted to be at the school I substitute taught at. The department was laid-back, fun, and truly cared about one another. It felt like home. 

Back in the fall (while I was student teaching) my friend who had graduated a semester earlier was long-term subbing for a woman who had gotten very sick. The department was always giving updates and organizing something for this woman. She was well-loved around the school, but these teachers were treating her as if she was a family members, like it was their responsibility. I loved feeling the care and bond that they all had with this woman. 

I knew that I was lucky to have an assignment with people who not only had a passion for teaching but also human beings.

When summer came, I knew that the only real position at that school that was up in the air was this lady's. I can't begin to tell you the amount of guilt I still feel about the whole situation. The principal delivered disability retirement papers to this woman at the beginning of June. I was hired soon after. The woman only held on for three weeks after that. I was told by another teacher (let's call her 'C') that once she was delivered the papers that she truly lost the will to continue fighting. I understand that C was passing information, and I would have been fine with that if she hadn't continued saying things like, "You could never fill her shoes, but we're happy to have you."

Like, what am I supposed to say to that? It's not like I knew this would happen or tried to make this happen! I struggled even explaining this to family and close friends when I got the job. I didn't think it was appropriate to show too much happiness or excitement. 

But fast forward to present day. When I went to school to grab supplies, set up my email, etc, I met with C and was shown my room. The room is bursting with supplies, resources, paperwork, and personal effects that were never picked up. At first I was told that I would be responsible for sorting through, cleaning out, and packaging personal effects up for her family since I was the one not only taking over her room but also in need of supplies over everyone else.

ME. AS IN SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER MET THIS WOMAN. 

So, at first I was completely freaking out about this huge and sensitive responsibility. 

Then I met with C. 

C has decided that she will be the one in charge of this stuff. She has planned to come and take all of the stuff and compile it into a library of resources that the rest of the teachers will have to "check out" from a community location. In my mind, that's not a huge deal. If C doesn't want to share the stuff, then that's fine, I can figure out my own activities, assessments, and reviews (also every other teacher has shared his or her flashdrive with me, so I have plenty!). But when I shared this plan with another teacher in the department, she got angry saying that these ideas never worked and that it was unfair to take things from me.

Like I said, I'm not too worried. And it takes a burden off of me for having to deal with it.

The one thing I am worried about with this situation is the sheer amount of stuff that is in my classroom that has to be dealt with before I can start unloading mine. Even typing all of that out makes me feel guilty. I was supposed to be able to go into my classroom on August 17th, but as of right now I've been told that I can't get in until August 24th. A week difference might not seem like a lot, but that second week I will be doing orientations and meetings for new hires. Those usually last 8am-4pm. I will have to stay after every night to work, which isn't impossible and I can get things done, but it is stressing me out when I had planned to have a whole extra week. 

So in the next week, I have planned to plan as much as possible. I will be doing my powerpoints one day, bell ringers/exit slips the next day, then activities, and finally assessments. That should take up my whole week (and yes, I am aware that is incredibly ambitious, but I'll get done what I get done and it'll be more than if I never tried). All of this is for my first 6 units-- or September through January-ish. 

Then after that week, I'll pack up all my stuff and move into school on Monday.

Except for the face that I have meetings and orientations every morning-late afternoon.
But I'll just have to make it work.


Once I finally have time to get my classroom keys, I need to make sure all of the old teacher's stuff is moved out. I have to move all of my stuff in. I have to set up and come up with a theme and bulletin boards. I have to make sure all of my technology is working and send in any work orders. I have to actually plan and run copies (the usual teacher stuff). 
I also have to figure out IEPs, class changes, and Back-To-School Night stuff.
And eventually write my syllabus.


So I'm just feeling a little stressed out about that....


Zilla

#AllThatGlitters is Classroom DIY

I have done it. 

I have done the Pinterest-y thing and I have triumphed. 

I have tackled the big bad monster of school supplies and I have come out on top (and on trend!)

I am proud.

I am a First Year Classroomzilla. 

My goal for my classroom was to have it organized, interesting, and pretty. I wanted it to reflect who I am and to be an inviting environment. 

And let's be honest, it's way more fun to have people talk about how awesome your room is and how they wished they had thought of it first. I mean, I almost ALWAYS judge how people decorate. I am not necessarily a clean person at home, but my classroom is not for me, it's for my kids. It is important that my room and taste in decor shows that I am capable as a teacher and an adult to work with children.

In my mind, that's how this works.

So, here was my inspiration.

Disclaimer: My pictures were taken on my phone and are not nearly as good as these pictures that I took from Pinterest.

Kelly Green and Gold are our school colors. 

AND HOW PRETTY IS THIS ?!

Easy and cute DIY!!

I really wanted to showcase that I am/will be a teacher who has her stuff together. I want my accomplishments, no matter how small, to motivate others to better themselves. 

Even if it's as small as spray painting some school supplies (that I talk about in this post!) to make others think you have it together...

So, I put on some shorts and my university tank top and headed out to my backyard (and under a tree because it was in the 80s today!) to set up my newspaper. I made sure to tape up anything I didn't want to be painted with some masking tape and got to work!

 I started using the gold base spray and coated everything I could. 
Also, if you're not a person who spray paints a lot, ouch. My fingers were cramping after the first couple of coats!

As a heads up, I was not able to find the Rustoleum gold spray paint that I wanted so, I ended up using Krylon Metallic gold with the Krylon Gold Glitter Blast spray. I had read the reviews that this type tended to run and would need several coats. THIS IS VERY TRUE. It also looked a little more bronze than a light pretty gold (like the pictures above). I wouldn't warn anyone against using this brand, but I would just have to suggest going slowly and spraying from more of a distance than you might think you need.

So because of the darker gold that I ended up getting, It is probably going to look more like a Batman theme than a light and pretty theme, but I think this is probably better. 

(Most Definitely 100% Better)

After letting everything dry for about 2 hours, relocated them upstairs and gave it a thin coat of hairspray to keep the glitter in check.

So, while it wasn't a perfect #PinterestWin, I'm ultimately thrilled. 
Let me know what yall think in the comments!

My last initial. <3

Fun scissors!

Tape dispenser! 

3-hole punch!

Knobs for the drawers.

To see everything put together and in my classroom, follow me on Periscope! 
I'll be doing a classroom tour sometime during the week of Aug 24th!


Until next time!


Zilla

Money Money Money Money.... MONEY!

I've been staring at my computer for about 15 minutes without completing anything actually worthwhile.

I've tweeted a few times, I've caught up on some other blogs, and I've tracked all of the shipments that I'm expecting. But in the scheme of things.... none of that was productive. 

But let's catch up on some of the things I accomplished this week!!

If you're a teacher, then I'm sure you've been keeping one eye on the "Back to School" sales and one eye on the "Tax Free Weekend" schedule. 

I took full advantage of this.

I finished my Rules/Procedures Powerpoint on Thursday (before going to see Fantastic 4) and felt great about my progress and my use of hashtags and memes in it. I woke up on Friday ready to buy my school supplies and take advantage of the sale. 

Let me tell you, I was NOT impressed.

I spent hundreds of dollars.

Let me repeat that.

I SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON MY CLASSROOM ON FRIDAY.

Just thinking of the number gives my heart palpitations.

I looked around for the best prices on things and ended up going to 4 different places. I thought I was going to save a buttload of money, but now I feel like I never even made a dent. 

I got the usual stuff like pencils (only the best for my classroom), crayons, markers, tissues, paper, and hand sanitizer.

But then I was told to get a broom, dustpan, bandaids, and surge protectors. 

There was a whole list of things that I knew I needed, another huge list of things I didn't know I needed, and a somewhat smaller list of the things I didn't need but would be a good investment (presentation remote (like this one I used during student teaching), rolling cart with drawers from each class (this splurge I just HAD to have!), my own trashcan, a couple of books for my bookshelf etc.).

I seriously want to cry. I know that I'm spending this money and the things (hopefully) will last me the rest of my career, but it's still hard to do. I know that I get paid on August 17th with both my teaching paycheck and my coaching paycheck from last spring, so I shouldn't feel too terribly, but I just can't stop thinking about how much everything cost!

So when places like Staples, Office Depot, Wal*Mart say they're having sales... I wouldn't fall for it. 

I'm just going to do my school shopping at the end of the year next year. 

I feel like I didn't save anything.

So this all made me wonder: How much do first year teachers spend on average? And then every year after, how much more do they spend?

How do teachers know what to buy? (Let's be honest, I have NO idea if I have everything I need.)

How can teachers afford all of this?

It's all a little depressing.

Have advice or a story you want to share on shopping for school supplies?

Leave it below!

Until next time,

Zilla

B&N Wednesdays on Thursday

Today I made a decision to go to Barnes and Noble to write down my rules and procedures. I thought maybe I could then transfer to taking notes again. You always see the people with their expensive clothes and hair and makeup done beautifully just typing away on their laptops. And today I wanted to be one of them. (Well, actually I wanted to be one of them after a good workout at the gym, but we all know that didn't happen...)

So, I walked in to Barnes and Noble with my teacher bag slung heavily over my shoulder. I made sure to bring my new EC teacher planner, textbook, and laptop so I would have plenty to do. There would be no reason to procrastinate, after all, I was surrounded by beautiful, highly motivated people. I asked a woman if she would mind sharing an outlet with me and she smiled warmly and nodded. 

I sat down and quickly realized that the people around me were very comfortable with each other. They would have little snippets of conversation with each other every now and then. It was like I had walked into a very exclusive club. Beautiful people talking about writing novels and conversing with their clients (the lady ended up being a modeling agent!!), which I thought only happened in LA. 

After I had set myself up (and ate my Chick Fil A) I glanced over to see what the beautiful lady was working on.

My illusion was shattered. 

Though, I can't say I was too surprised.

She was on Facebook.

And I am on Blogger. 

And Twitter.

That is what going to Barnes and Noble is all about.

FYI.

Love from B&N.

Zilla

#WednesdayWhatILearnedToday: New Hire Orientation

Today I attended my new-hire orientation for my county. It was from 7:45am until about 10:45am. If you know me (and I believe most of you do) you know I have an opinion on just about everything…

I have been waiting for this day for almost a month (see this post for the beginning of the obsession!). I even went in to grab my orientation packet and figure out insurance and everything as early as I could.

Then, when my alarm went off at 6am this morning, I realized that I felt like I was going off to my first day of school (or teacher work week) already! I was ready to learn about teacher policies, special teacher perks, super important teacher stuff (maybe a special secret handshake?)…

Well. That’s not what happened.

I did learn quite a bit, but not the type of stuff that I found completely necessary to spend time on.

Number 1: I learned that those terrible sexual harassment videos still exist in the adult world.

When I was a kid/mini adult/student, I understood that these videos were necessary because some people still weren’t mature enough to see that some of the things they said or joked about were, in fact, offensive. Most women have seen or dealt with sexual harassment first-hand (I’m sure most men, too!). This is a topic that has been covered over and over again. These goofy videos aren’t helping anyone if they only portray the overly sexualized (and overly acted out) interactions. Much of the sexual harassment won’t look like that. In my experience, it will be a small comment here… A small touch there...

Long story short, I think these videos need to be updated. They need to have potential to be taken seriously. If a group of mostly mature adults can’t get through the video without side-eyeing or busting out in laughter at these situations, then why use it? 

This is a serious issue and I don’t want to sound like I’m taking it lightly, but it was a waste of my time. Give me a module to complete instead.

Number 2: I learned that the county policies are on us to read and understand.

While I have no problem reading through the policies by myself (I already had anyway), the fact that the HR lady touched on them for less than 30 seconds makes me wonder how seriously they take them. I want to know (as a goody-two-shoes) what I can do and what I can’t. I want to know what policies cause the most discipline issues. Also, isn’t this the biggest part of HR anyway?

Number 3: I learned that I’m going to have to figure out how to prep for the school year without much to go on.

As an “orientation” session for new teachers, I expected there to be more of a “what to expect in your new job” vibe. Now I know that there were teachers in the room that had taught before in other counties. That’s cool. But not every county has the same rules and they don’t have the same issues. I want to know how my county differs from others in expectations. I want to know what I’m expected to do between now and meeting with my faculty. I want to know about professional development opportunities that I can get a jump start on. I

Number 4: I learned that teachers still do not know how to dress.

Please for the love of all that is good, go and check out Monogrammed Midwesterner’s blog post on how to dress for business casual events. She says some great things about what to wear and what not to wear. I stressed about it. I wanted to look professional but still young and fresh because we were also taking our badge pictures (and I’m positive that my hair did not cooperate. Cross your fingers for me!). I think I ended up making a good choice with my attempt at a Pinterest outfit!

 (coral pants, white lace shirt, and blue blazer)

But I saw multiple girls wearing jeans. I saw one girl in jeans and flip flops. I saw one girl in a halter dress.

I just do not understand.

Things that are not okay:

* flip flops

* anything you could wear to a club

* spaghetti strap tops

* too tight bottoms

* too short bottoms

* something you could do yard work in

* hot fluorescent pink lipstick

It was like I was watching a teacher version of People of Wal*Mart.

It is not that hard to be comfortable and also look nice.

I don’t know what else to say about that.

Have any of you seen some questionable outfits from teachers or even substitutes?!

Leave it in the comments!

Zilla 

Monday Musing #1

It's the decision that every teacher has to make.

A topic that has hundreds of Youtube videos and blog posts dedicated to it...

WHICH TEACHER LESSON PLANNER DO I BUY?

As a new teacher, I want to make sure that I am as prepared as possible. I've been reading the texts, making notes, creating activities, and throughout all of that I have realized that I use a lot of sticky notes. 

Now I have to get organized. I already bought my lesson plan and substitute binder (I haven't figured out what to do about an IEP folder yet). I want to keep my lesson plans formal, clean, and organized in their own binder. I'll have a tab dedicated to lessons plans, powerpoints, activities, and other materials respectively. My substitute binder will have classroom information (my rules, procedures, etc), school information (map, procedures for drills, bell schedule, etc), and finally my rosters with seating charts. 

All of that doesn't give me a lot of room for planning. 

And erasing. 

And figuring out when my due dates are.

And remembering meetings and spirit weeks and half days and due dates for grades and everything else that will make my head explode if I put them all on sticky notes.

(Seriously, the wall in front of my desk is covered...)

So, herein lies the subsequent question:

PLUM PAPER PRODUCTS vs ERIN CONDREN vs MAKE MY OWN

I took to Twitter and asked all my followers (teachers as well as others) and these ended up being the top 3 options. They all have pros and cons, but let's be honest... I'm crafty (kind of) but making my own teacher lesson planner seemed extremely overwhelming and to be frank, dumb. I'm going to be a first year teacher. I have no idea what I'm going to end up needing and I don't feel comfortable making my own. I'll just leave it to the professionals.

So, my choice is between Plum Paper Designs and Erin Condren.

My decision will be made tonight, but for now I will be creating a pros and cons list for each.

If you want to give your opinion or otherwise help me out please leave your thoughts in my comments!

(No other options please. You'll just confuse me.)

Zilla

Frenzy on a Friday

Yesterday was the day I had been waiting for: Krispy Kreme has decided to deliver and I won a $500,000 cash prize!!!!!!! No. I'm kidding. Would be cool though. What really happened was I got a text message from my department chair asking me to meet him at the school to give me my supplies. We met at noon and we talked about where the books and other history supplies are located-- in a closet that is so jam-packed I don't know how I will sift through it all.

Now, I know the school pretty well because I had been there on and off for about two years. I started by doing observation hours there during college and teaching a unit or two. Then I was placed there for my student teaching and substitute taught the semester after I graduated. So, we didn't really need to do the full tour of the school. The only thing we needed to do (other than grab books for me to read and lesson plan with) was to show me MY VERY OWN CLASSROOM!!!!!!

So, I really need to BUY EVERYTHING. I need to CRAFT EVERYTHING. But really, I had no idea where to start. And what does someone do who needs and wanted things but also has a ton to get started on? She goes shopping! I was good. I only got one big (3'') binder, one smaller binder that I'll use as a substitute binder, and some dividers. 

When I got home I knew I needed to make everything look cute and new and like I deserved to be a teacher. I was on Google looking at patterns and backgrounds or cute quotes from Tumblr. It took a while, but I love this blue floral that I found! I will use it FOR EVERYTHING.

When my husband and I got back from dinner, he helped me move together two desks into that perfect 'L' shape that I love so much. I finally have room to spread out all of my stuff (as you can see, I have a lot of stuff) and plan the way I like to. Also, HGTV is playing to the left and that always helps! All of the buying and the cleaning and the moving around of all this stuff gave me a surge of motivation. I was up until well past 1am planning out my 1st nine weeks-- see the sticky notes on the wall above the desk. Now I need to actually look through the books and take notes.

But I also need posters. 

And an interactive timeline. 

And other pretty things.

 (And I also need more sticky notes. ALL THE STICKY NOTES.)

I know it's only July 3rd, but I feel like I have so much to do and I don't even know if what I have planned is right. Who knows if anything is going to work, but I'm excited to start working!

What are all of my other teachers working on right now?

Lesson plans?

Professional development?

A tan?

Zilla

#ToBeHonestTuesday: All the things I'm afraid of...

I got the email today about signing up for New Teacher Orientation, which is basically where I go in and sign my contract, sign up for insurance, review policies/procedures, yadda yadda yadda... So, I signed up for my orientation and requested to pick up my paperwork early to go over my options with my husband.

But just getting that email threw my mind into a whirlwind of ideas and tasks that I should be doing. I should order a thick and detailed (which just means $$$) teacher planner, figure out what kind of filing system I should be using, lesson plans (?!?!), and eight thousand other things that I've put on my Wunderlist. I need to come up with some sort of lesson on what it means to be in high school (I'll be teaching 9th grade world history), go over school expectations and procedures, go over my expectation and rules (which I'm pretty sure I will center about RESPECT), and do some kind of "get to know you" activity that doesn't suck. It has been 6 years since I've been in high school. I'm not going to pretend I know what is "cool" anymore. Also, there's only so much Kid President students can take in one day.

My absolute top concern is cell phones. Kids (and honestly everyone) are attached to their phones. They rarely leave their hands. I have this terrible fear of a student having a phone out while I'm teaching and when I ask them to put it away, they don't. Then I have to confiscate it and they refuse. If I leave it alone then I lose credibility and if I battle with the student then I've lost everything, too. It's so stupid because I know that I am capable of building community and relationships with my students based on mutual respect, but that doesn't mean that my students will always find my class and my lessons a priority over the latest gossip or personal drama. My first inclination would be to ask the student to step out until I can get the class going on an assignment and deal with it at that point. But is that even right?!

I'm afraid that my students won't take me seriously because I look like a student. Although I never had these issues substituting, I have been shown texts from when I was student teaching about students talking about me being attractive. Of course, being called attractive is not a bad thing, but when it comes to being taken seriously, you really have to look the part, act the part, and teach the part. Silly or not, I've seen this get to another teacher in the school. She dresses well, she's attractive, and she's young. Students respect her and get along well with her, but she does end up being part of sexual jokes around the school. It's just a fine line that makes me nervous teaching in a high school. 

I don't even know where to start for lesson planning until my department chair responds to my email (It's been 24 hours already!!). I just want to start working on things! I only have 68 days, 10 hours, and two minutes.

Tomorrow I will hopefully have a ton of other things to worry about like insurance costs and such.

But for now, I'm just going to sit on my couch and watch HGTV while I save teacher memes to my computer.

[Yeah, and I want my students to keep their cell phones off whenever they're in my classroom, and I want to dress well and be attractive without my students noticing. Also, interactive and meaningful lesson plans falling into my lap would be nice.]

Yeah. Good luck with that...

            Zilla

She Wears Short Skirts, I Wear Professional Knee Length Skirts Because I'm an Adult...

As I get older and begin my transition into the adult world, I find myself dressing more and more modestly. I know that people-- females especially-- like to gossip and I don't want to end up being that teacher that dresses more like a student than an adult. We've all seen them...

I have been really peeved about what I've seen and heard about on Twitter and from my friends who have logged hours in a classroom. Short skirts, plunging necklines, sheer material, too-tight pants (or shirts!), sweat pants, yoga pants, or anything that looks better on your students than on a mature adult such as yourself.


Example: Ladies, Cameron Diaz can do no wrong... except in Bad Teacher. The dress is so cute and fashionable but it is not right for school. You are a professional female in the workplace. When you bend over you should not be watched in case something were to sneak out. Not to mention what would happen if you picked up something and had no extra hands to make sure you can keep the dress from riding up. If you are a high school teacher like I am, then the bend and reach test is crazy important! And this dress is a FAIL (at least during the school week).

Example 2: Do I even need to discuss the fact that this is not a dress but a shirt (and that's a BIG maybe)? It is, however, still too low on her torso and she is still showing too much skin. I have seen too many beautiful girls wearing dresses without sleeves or straps or a cardigan! You don't see professional women without their skin modestly covered. And before anyone thinks I'm picking on women, you don't see men wearing tank tops or shirts unbuttoned this low! It's about showing you're an adult and one that is dressed for a professional work environment.

Example 3: For both genders... Say it with me: FLIP FLOPS ARE NOT WORK APPROPRIATE. Ever. Just like wearing six inch heels to teach in all day is probably a terrible idea unless you're like Cameron Diaz (and there are some people who can pull it off-- I'm just not one of them). Ask yourself how you would pace your room and manage your classroom all day long in 6 inch heels. Ouch.  Remember that you are going to be on your feet for 90% of the day. Be good to your feet.

Anyway. Those were just a few of my pet peeves.
Do yall have any others that really grinds your gears about teachers ignoring professional dress code?
Let me know in the comments!



            Zilla

Day One of the Obsession

I got the call yesterday morning. The man on the other end wanted to officially offer me my dream job at the school where I student taught… and coached… and substitute taught at from January to June…

If we’re being honest, I couldn’t imagine anyone else filling the position. I bonded so well with the faculty and the secretaries and the students. I loved the sense of community within the school. It was my dream job and I landed it. I know I’m a lucky girl. 

But ever since I got that call, I’ve been going insane! Anyone who knows me or follows my tweets (@TheMrsZilla)  knows that when I’ve got a project I turn into one of those obsessive one-track-mind people. I want to do research, I want to ask questions (ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS). So when I settled into bed at 9pm I made sure to pick up some light reading, a highlighter, and my phone with the WunderList To Do app open and ready (if you don’t know what that is, look it up. It may save your life!).

So far, my to-do list is 21 items long – not counting sub tasks within those items. I’ve tagged at least ten pages with those little mini post-it notes. I’ve day dreamed about writing assignments and group projects, and even (GASP!) creating tests. This book is really just about the basics, but it has given me so much to think about that I’ve spent most of this day reading Love, Teach Blog (loveteachblog.com).

That blog (along with The Monogrammed Midwesterner @ monogrammedmidwesterner.com – THANK YOU SO MUCH, LOVELY!!) gave me the courage to start documenting my own experiences as I deal step into my first “big girl job.”

So... what do I need? Everything.

Mostly shoes that look professional. More teacher clothes. Ticonderoga pencils (for student use), cute stapler, cute tape roll, paper, notebooks... I could go on and on. I need STUFF. 

But I don't even know if I have a room yet... So, if anyone has a time machine that could just fast forward to next week, I would appreciate it.

For now I will just continue to dream about seating arrangements, posters, and my new teaching planner. If any of yall have any suggestions on teacher supplies, advice for the newbies, etc let me know in the comments!

            Zilla

Once upon a time...

This is my introductory post. 

This is where I’m supposed to show my readers how bubbly and organized and how completely and utterly prepared I am to step into my own classroom (I'm not.). But I did graduate from one of the best education universities in my state last December after an amazing experience student teaching. I love challenging them to analyze motivations and think historically. I learned that I thrive in the classroom with my students and that building community and relationships are things that I am good at-- things I should continue to prioritize in my classroom. But I also learned that I need to work on a LOT of things.

1.       There are a lot of things I still don’t know about history. I  can’t recite every little detail about The Roanoke colony or each pharaoh that ever ruled in Egypt.  And I learned that students will be able to sense that and then they will ask you about something minute about that subject that doesn’t matter at all in the grand scheme of things and you will research ALL of those pesky Egyptian pharaohs only to get asked about some other random factoid that you are also not prepared to teach. It's a gift they have. 

2.       It is okay to tell your students that you’re not sure about something. As soon as you try to BS your way to an answer, one of your brilliant kids will pipe up. And that, my friends, is so incredibly awful in all the ways. You lose credibility in front of your students and you feel like a failure the rest of the week. Trust me on this, just be honest with them. Your students will respect you so much more.

3.       Make sure you’re in tune with your needs as much as your students’ needs. I found myself at school from 6:30am to about 5pm every day (this is in the off season when I’m not coaching) trying to make my presentations better, trying to make sure I felt prepared to take their questions (I’m hoping I eventually get this part), and trying to keep up with my student teaching portfolio as well. I actually got points taken off of one of my observed lessons because my cooperating teacher (who I LOVE) let it slip that I was working harder than she had seen anyone work in the department. I’m still bitter, but I digress…

Those were my big three that I knew I had to have a plan for going into my future position. I knew I wanted to end up at the school I did my student teaching. So when I graduated in December, I automatically applied to become a substitute in the county. I began to lean toward teaching high school students instead of middle school and took a job coaching girls’ JV softball at that school. I was able to book a job almost every day from January to June. I got to know a lot of the faculty members and most of the department in which I wanted to work. I was very lucky.

And then I got the call from the principal herself… and there begins my journey into my first year as a teacher. J

 So, all my lovely readers, how was your student teaching experience? What did you feel most prepared to handle? What did you feel a little lost in?

Let me know in the comments below!

Wishing everyone a relaxing summer!

            Zilla