Teachers!

cgss11 · July 2016

I remember there being quite a few of us...

When do you go back? Are you ready?!

My first day is next Wednesday, with the first student day August 8. I teach resource though so I won't really work closely with students for a few weeks. I help with Kinder the first few days which is fun because my position is 5-8.

I went in today to start setting up. Ugh my room was a mess. They got the carpets cleaned so everything was piled and stacked in a corner. I'm exhausted from moving it all back. I'll probably go in a little bit each day the rest of the week to finish up and hang bulletin boards and such.

jandd2014 · July 2016

I literally finished teaching summer school today.

I don't even want to think about going back! hah.
I have two days of training next week, then a full week off, then have to report back on August 17. The kids start on the 22nd.

ErikandAfton · July 2016

I have two Science Department meetings the 10th and 11th, a conference the 15th, and teacher work day the 16th. Kids come back the 17th. I'll probably go in on the 8th and see what the state of my room is. I'm going to need help getting all my lab tables back where they belong.

I am not ready. I will miss my naps!

Lisa3379 · July 2016

I'm going back for meetings on the 11th, and school starts on the 15th. I haven't done a thing to get ready yet - I won't be home from vacation until the 5th. It'll be my 10th year teaching, and I'm only teaching economics this semester, so I'll be ready. Probably going into my classroom on the 9th to put it back together. I miss my coworkers too.

gigemily09 · July 2016

We have two weeks of inservice/professional development starting Monday August 8th, then the kids come back on the 22nd... I'm completely not ready to go back. I'm starting a new position this year after teaching the same thing for 6 years, so that's making me a little nervous plus being pregnant on top of that... It's going to be a busy fall semester. I'm also dreading making sub plans for when I'll be gone on maternity leave. At least fall semester goes by fast, and before we know it it will be December

princesslockness · July 2016

Students are back on 08/23, so I'm assuming that I'll have to be back around the 16th. I am ready to have a set purpose every day again.
I am not ready to be walking and standing all day.

BabyRobbinsAdventure · July 2016

I start back next Tuesday (8/2) for professional development and kids start on the next Monday (8/8).
Went in yesterday to a torn apart room. They clean the carpets over the summer, but usually they put some of the bigger furniture (teacher desk, kidney table) back in the general area they came from. This year they did not do that... Had to recruit some other teachers that came in to help me move my huge desk across the room where it belonged. Beyond frustrated.
Anyways... Went back in today to get some things done that I won't have time for next week, and also sent home my welcome/supplies letters.
Training for our brand new math program all Thursday morning... Yay.

Busy busy!

yellingbanana · July 2016

I was actually applying for teaching jobs (sped, resource room) when we found out we were expecting. I had opened a preschool for a year, but with my youngest about to start K in the fall I decided to close and get a real job again. DH really doesn't like to have our kids in daycare (ok, neither do I), so instead of job, I'm going with getting my masters started next year. Has anyone here done that through Walden?

DumbledoresArmy · July 2016

I go back August 15th (I think!) This is the first summer I haven't been counting down the weeks to when school starts. It feels so much longer when you don't count down! I, too, visited my room to see what kind of shape it is in, and I have no idea how I'm going to move around heavy musical instruments back to their places. Everything was ALLLLL out of whack.

I'm excited to see my students again, and I love my job! BUT, I'm not looking forward to being up and about for 8 plus hours.... bye bye naps!

em01092 · July 2016

I'm not a teacher, but can somebody PLEASE post this in their classroom? LOL

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/s5/v915ksduvhju.jpg

cgss11 · July 2016

That's funny @em01092 I've wondered if Pokemon will be an issue. I'm teach in a pretty low income area though, so not a lot of kids have smart phones, and if they do, they don't have much data and can't access the wifi at school. The 6th graders (I teach 5-8) were crazy over the cards last year. I confiscated so many...hundreds I bet.

laytbug1234 · July 2016

I start back in a week and a half. Any science teachers transitioning to NGSS? It is so much work and will make writing sub plans a nightmare! Wish I could just do the same old curriculum just for this year to make my life easier. @em01092 if it becomes a problem, I will definitely post the sign. I just saved it to my computers. Kids arent allowed to have phones out anyways at my school, so I dont think it will be too bad.

ErikandAfton · July 2016

@laytbug1234
We are in a a slow transition to NGSS. I'm going to be teaching that way until I go on leave and then I'm honestly probably going to leave reading, work books and Web quest assignments. The likely hood of a long term sub being able to teach science in my district is super low. The likely hood of them following more complex lesson plans is lower. I figure as long as they are covering the topics for each standard that's all I can ask for.

BethWilliams · July 2016

I am an EA, and start meetings on the 17th. Students start the 24th.

BabyRobbinsAdventure · July 2016

@laytbug1234 we started NGSS the year the final draft came out, so 2.. Maybe 3 years now? I've enjoyed them and have found some of the content fun to teach, but science is my favorite subject to teach in 5th... So I may be a little biased haha

The real issue and struggle that my team and I faced was figuring out the language of the standards. At first we thought some of the standards were much broader then they actually are, and some of the wording was confusing. Finding resources was an issue when they were first adopted, as nobody taught them yet. We have found a few Science A-Z books that cover some of the topics nicely, and I tried dipping my toes in Inspire Science last year which was made to cover NGSS.

Is the SBAC/standardized test this year actually going to cover NGSS? If not, you may have some breathing room. I know in 5th when we switched to NGSS, kids were still tested with a CRT that did not use NGSS... So our scores were messed up anyways. Thankfully our district understood and did not count those scores towards individual school ratings, as they did with math/reading.

princesslockness · July 2016

@laytbug1234, Idaho hasn't adopted the NGSS standards yet, but I have been using them for at least the last year. They don't seem that bad once you actually start using them.

If anyone is interested in extra resources check out CK-12 's website. They have digital text books, that have practice, quizzes, videos, extra reading, and lots of teacher resources. I know the one we made a couple weeks ago was built around the NGSS standards.
The nice thing about these online books is you can make your own copy and add/drop whatever you want.

MaggieG183 · July 2016

I'm in Montana and won't be heading into the classroom until the 22nd. Kids aren't back until the 30th. The last week of school though, I was so over the year (this past year's 8th graders were rough!!) that I didn't do any filing or organizing. I have a TON to do! Of course j have huge aspirations for the coming year as well even with sub plans for maternity leave.

What kind of time are you all looking to take for maternity leave? My hubby and I didn't even try to plan this baby to come at an "ideal" teacher time and now I'm not looking forward to coming back to school after the baby comes. If all goes as planned, I'll be taking thanksgiving until spring break off as I have enough sick time to cover my entire 12 weeks of FMLA plus the extra week.

princesslockness · July 2016

MaggieG183 said:

If all goes as planned, I'll be taking thanksgiving until spring break off as I have enough sick time to cover my entire 12 weeks of FMLA plus the extra week.

HOLY CRAP!!!! That is a lot of sick time.

I'm hoping to take all of December off. Maybe more or less depending on when this kids decides to show her face.

cgss11 · July 2016

I hope to work up to delivery. Hopefully. I plan to take 12 weeks off. I'm hoping to not have to come back until after spring break, but I guess that will depend exactly when baby comes. I'm due the 12th.

BabyRobbinsAdventure · July 2016

Baby is due the middle of the first week of winter break (which is 3 weeks total)... Crossing my fingers I can work up until break!
after that I want to take Jan/Feb off and come back the first week of March, get back in the routine for few weeks, and then have our 2 week spring break to get myself organized for the remainder of the school year.

This is if all goes according to the EDD.. If not, I may go into labor at work haha.
Which actually did happen to one of our kindergarten teachers, our principal drove her to the hospital after her water broke.

ErikandAfton · July 2016

My EDD is the day winter break starts. Ideally I'd like to work up to that point but my principal is big on having the sub shadow for a few days before they take over so we will see what happens. I'm hoping I can't stay out until mid March. Be back for a few weeks and then our spring break is in April. And then we our out the second week of June.

maamawaabangi · July 2016

Former public and private school teacher here... now I homeschool all my kids.
We start back to school the last Monday of August... I'm teaching 5 of my children this year (K, 2, 3, 3, and 5 th grades) and have a toddler to occupy!
Honestly, I'm least looking forward to doing kindergarten with my 5 year old... I use to teach Kindy (for 2 years) and I am not, for the life of me, able to resurrect my former kindergarten teacher self! Lord help me!
She, however, is SOOOOO excited! It's actually helping me... slightly!

She asked me the other day, "Mom, do I turn 6 the day kindergarten starts???" "No, honey, school doesn't make you turn a year older..." Haha!
My plan is to take an entire month off after having the baby... (no 6 week maternity "leave" here) and then back to school (I know... it's not the same... I still get to be with my baby, but at the same time, I don't ever get to leave my work each day either...)
Blessings and happy thoughts to all of you amazing teachers!!! Have a wonderful year!

thedaint87 · July 2016

I am always amazed at how different the calendars are around the country! I report back on 8/26 and students start the day after Labor Day which is 9/6. I don't even want to think about what my classroom will look like when they let me in. Definitely getting some help to set things up.

My due date is during the first week of winter break. Really hoping to work up to winter break and then take my 12 weeks. I'll probably be back sometime in March, depending on when the baby decides to show up. It will definitely make this an interesting year. Lots of transitions for my little guys to handle!

gigemily09 · July 2016

@thedaint87 dang!!! When do you get out for the summer??? Here in Texas (at least my school district) we start school August 22nd and get out of school May 26th!

thedaint87 · July 2016

@gigemily09 This year students got out June 23rd and the last day for teachers was June 27th. It seems like it gets later and later every year! The end of the year really drags when you hear about schools everywhere else finishing up, but at least I still have about a month of summer left?

Lisa3379 · July 2016

I remember starting school after Labor Day and ending the second week of June! We must've added more vacation days or something. Anyway, we changed our schedule to end first semester right at winter break, which will be so much better than before, when it ended at the end of January. We'll be done with school on June 1 I think, as a result. Sucks that this summer was cut short to accommodate for the change, but oh well.

I'll be taking leave right before thanksgiving break and will be out the rest of the year. I'm feeling very torn about this. I love my job and my coworkers, and I will miss it so much.

SmashJam · July 2016

I go back for in-service the 22nd and kids come back the 30th. I'm in Responsive Classroom trining right now.

karmba · July 2016

@yellingbanana I'm not a teacher - but my husband used to work for Walden. I strongly encourage you to not use them for anything. It can be very disorganized and they're constantly under threat of losing accreditation.

KatieJ6 · July 2016

I'm an OT in a public school district and I don't go back until the last week of August with kids starting the Tuesday after Labor Day.

KateH1216 · July 2016

I am not a teacher, but the daughter of a retired 3rd grade teacher. I just wanted to chime in and thank all of you ladies for doing an incredibly difficult job. I spent many days in my mom's classroom over the years, and I knew at a very young age that teaching wasn't for me. The start of the school year is never easy, but I wish you all the best. Thank you for all you do!

MaggieG183 · July 2016

@Kate08Young As soon as I got a teaching position in my current district, I met my now-hubby. I knew right away he was the one and we both knew we were going to have kids, so I saved my sick leave as much as possible. I'm incredibly lucky that I didn't get sick for the last 5 years! My district also has an incredible strong union presence and bargaining team to get us 5 personal days a year which roll over to sick days if not used. I feel quite fortunate. Now if we have another kiddo...I won't have as much saved. That will be tough!

MaggieG183 · July 2016

Thanks for the info, @karmba ! I've been thinking about a master's and Walden has been on the tentative list, but this is the nail in the coffin for this school.

MaggieG183 · July 2016

Oh! Three posts in a row...sorry girls! Quick question for you all. How are you going to deal with breastfeeding/pumping when going back to the classroom? I have nice prep periods throughout the day that should be close to ideal, but in our middle school teams take a two year rotation of being the "IEP" team. This year is our second year of the rotation so I am nervous one or both of my preps will be taken each day by IEP meetings. I'll be counting on those times to pump if possible as my DH and I would hope to breast feed our little guy for a full year. Suggestions? What are you hoping to do?

cgss11 · July 2016

@MaggieG183 I will have about a 30 minute drive in so my hypothetical plan is to pump in the car to and from work, and hopefully one other time during the day. My lunch can usually be uninterrupted. My prep is always taken with planning meetings or something it seems. I'm sped, so usually have IEP meetings before or after school, so can't quite count on that always. I'm hoping it will work to pump in the car, otherwise I'm not quite sure either.

princesslockness · July 2016

@MaggieG183, @cgss1, According to FMLA they have to provide you with a consistent time to pump at least every 3 hrs. They are not allowed to take your prep time if you are using it to pump.
I found that when I talked to my Principals that the biggest issue was finding a room that I could actually pump in. We have a handicapped bathroom that is right by my room that I used, as the only other place was my classroom and I couldn't cover the door's window.

I was able to pump on my morning drive, prep, then right after school. That worked for us until 3.5 months when they changed my prep from 2nd to 4th(after lunch). I couldn't get my supply to reschedule and it just tanked.

cgss11 · July 2016

@Kate08Young I was under the impression the law was for hourly employees? That was/is the big loophole issue with it. I'll have to look into it more. I can pump in my room easily, no issue there. I don't anticipate getting much flack from my Principal about being insistent I need my prep free, but I think doing it to/from work in the car and on my lunch should be enough.

BabyRobbinsAdventure · July 2016

I'm also worried about pump time. My work day starts at 9 and lunch is not until 12:30. Lunch is the only consistent time I have. We have specials (computers, music, library) but that is not at the same time every day.
Hoping I can make this work

cgss11 · July 2016

Wow you start late @BabyRobbinsAdventure ! My day starts at 7, first class starts at 7:25. Last year my lunch wasn't until 12:30 and I hated it. I'm hoping my schedule is nicer to me this year.

BabyRobbinsAdventure · July 2016

@cgss11 due to lack of buses in our HUGE district, middle school starts first, then high school, then 1 group of elementary, and finally my group of elementary. So 9:30-3:30 I have kids. Getting up late is nice, but not going home until 4 is a bummer.

princesslockness · July 2016

@BabyRobbinsAdventure how does your day have so few hours?
Contract time for my district is 7:40 am -3:40 pm.

cgss11 · July 2016

We have an extended day so school is from 7:25-3:05. It's my least favorite thing about my district. Add in a meeting after school and I'm out of my house from 6-4:45 usually.

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Katie married to Matt Mom to Micah(03/2013) and Asher(01/2015) Baby #3 coming December 2016

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