Here's the short version first. I don't know what grade I'm teaching next year.
Keep reading for the long version if you're the nosey type like I am.
Back
in January my husband and I moved to my hometown, Salisbury, MD. After
living in Delaware for 10 years it's been an adjustment coming back. A
lot has changed, but we're happy to be here and happy to be close to old
friends!
So
what made us come back? Well my husband passed the Maryland bar while
we were living in DE. Knowing it would be easier for me to find a job in
MD versus him sitting for the Delaware bar we decided we'd look at
moving back to Salisbury. Not to mention the price of real estate also
played a part in our decision since we were also looking into buying our
first home along with our move.
Since
we moved I've been commuting an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes
(depending on traffic) each way. The drive is not bad. We don't live in a
heavy traffic congested area. But losing that amount of time daily on
the road is hard. By the time I make it home in the evenings it's almost
dinner time and then bed time is short to follow. It's really made me
wonder how 9-5pm-er's do it?!
I
planned to finish out the school year following our move with the hopes
of landing a teaching job closer to home before the start of the
2016-2017 school year. Well we're a day away from July and I STILL don't
know what I will be teaching next year.
I
don't feel discouraged at all. I'm still very confident that I will
find something. I was spoiled the first go around and landed my first
teaching job where I completed student teaching. I interviewed my last
day of student teaching and was called and offered the job the next day.
I spent my whole summer prior to my first year teaching thinking about
and planning for my very first classroom. This go around, I have no idea
what I will be teaching and it's tough.
I
want so badly to be thinking about next school year. Planning ahead and
creating new resources. And that's hard when you have no idea what you
could end up teaching. And since I want to land a job closer to home I'm
open to any positions 3rd grade or lower, inclusion or special
education. If I could handpick my job I'd love to give inclusion
kindergarten a go, or even self-contained kindergarten. I have a huge
desire to teach something different. I need that right now. But I know a
new school will be change in itself so if I stay in pre-school I hope
the change in school is refreshing enough to be the motivator I need.
Those 5 year special ed burn out rumors are no joke. And there's the
fact that I have 6 years worth of special ed. pre-school resources in my
garage right now that my husband can't wait to see leave.
Have you recently changed schools, grade levels, or moved? Any words of advice or encouragement?
Last year I was being moved to 5th grade after 17 years in kindergarten and 3 early on in 1st. That along with other circumstances made me decide to leave my school of 19 years. I spent the summer waiting to see what and where I would be teaching. I had been offered a K position at the first interview I went to which was then put on hold due to budget. As the school year neared, I began looking again. Long story short, I did find a first grade job at the last minute. It was stressful not knowing over the summer. It was odd not knowing what I would be teaching, so no prep. (Every time I would try to learn about 5th grade just in case, it just didn't move forward.)
ReplyDeleteMy advice would be enjoy the time to be you and not just a teacher. You will be more rested and ready for the year. Contrary to what we think, the children and families will not know if you spent the entire summer preparing and planning for the year. or just a few days or weeks.