Date: 2007-01-05
To: Autrey Mill Middle School
Miles today: 0.0

Well, you all have been asking for an update, so here goes. I promise to fill in the gaps soon - that's my only New Year's resolution - it's just been such a whirl wind of activities now that I am back home. Today, I started back to work as a 7th grade science teacher. It was a teacher workday, a day when most teachers are just entering grades for report cards and planning a few things for next week's lessons. For me it was much more than that. The woman that replaced me when I left for my AT journey did not work out. Having never met her, I will not speak ill of her, but for various reasons, she was let go in October. The school then had two different long term substitutes fill the position until I would begin work in January. So needless to say, with one "free-spirited" and two fill-in teachers, the classroom was a wreck. Traditionally, I am a bit on the anal-retentive side of things when it comes to how things are arranged, cleanliness, and procedures to follow - I am striving to take on more of a "relaxed" persona. So I spent the morning exercising the demons of my predecessors, throwing out all sorts of old student projects, recycling as much useless paper as possible, wiping down counters that hadn't seen a wet cloth in months. It was nice and quiet while I worked as all of the other teachers were at a presentation given by Ron Clark. Not having a computer or email until this afternoon, I was unaware of the presentation, however, I think my time was best spent cleaning out my classroom. Anyhoo, the other teachers arrived at the school around lunchtime. After lunch, when I had time to speak with the other science teachers to plan lessons for next week, I really began to feel overwhelmed. No one was sure what the substitues had covered, so I will follow along with the other teachers and fill in gaps on an as needed basis. But...Just...What...Have...I...Gotten...Myself...In..To? I don't remember anything about pedigree charts, genetic disorders, dominant and recessive alleles. I'm going to have to cram this weekend. Then there is all of these new procedures at the school as they have implemented a team concept. And I have realized since coming home that hiking the trail has weakened my multitasking skills, my perception of time and management thereof, and ability to remember things not deemed important. I feel like a first year teacher on the first day of school. Oh why, oh why, did I leave the trail????The good thing is that for me teaching is like riding a bicycle. It just comes back to me. And, I am really good at winging it. I am sure that all of my anxiety will go away once I actually get to meet the students and get elbow deep in the lessons. I did not however, keep to my promise to leave school by a decent (say 4:30) hour. I was there until well after nightfall. Yes, I made a promise to myself that if I took this job, this teaching position - after all my talk of moving on from teaching into some other career, a career where I might have a life and thus, might meet a man to fall in love with and build a life with - I would not be a slave to the job. It is so easy to pour your heart and soul into teaching the children, the wonderful children and find that you have nothing left for yourself. That the fact that preteens all think that teachers live at the school, never leaving to go out to eat or shop at the mall or see a movie, could actually be your reality. So, I promised myself somewhere in PA that if I came back to teaching, it would just be a job, not a prison. So, I gave myself today. I crammed a week's worth of planning and room set-up in to 11 hours and that's it. Next week, I hold true to my promise. If not, why did I hike the trail???? Teaching is a career, a job, with definite start and end times. Allison may have worked until the wee hours of the evening leaving no time for herself, but Superstar enjoys living a life of her own, a member of a community much larger than one middle school.So I raise my glass of wine and toast to the new year, the new school year, the new philosophy of teaching, the new lifestyle that brings the best of the AT to the "real" world!Dear loved ones, hold me to this promise!!!