I spent some time Tuesday and yesterday working in my new classroom. Most of that time was spent simply taking inventory.
Prior to this week I had seen my classroom briefly twice before. I had snapped some pictures which I have been using for my planning. This week allowed me to see which ideas would work and which ones were going to need to be revamped.
I was able to get my desk area set up and student desk arranged. I was informed yesterday that they were planning to paint my room so we will see if everything is still arranged when I go back in a few weeks. I was just thankful I hadn't put anything on the walls yet.
This is a new experience for me. I have worked at two other schools. I worked at a small private school my first year. I was never really happy or settled there so leaving wasn't a big deal. I was so excited to start my second job at HG - the school I recently left.
HG became home to me. A BIG piece of my heart is still there. Tuesday as I was taking care of paperwork and meeting new people, all I wanted to do was cry. Everyone at my new school is incredibly nice & helpful. I have nothing bad to say about QES. It just isn't HG. It isn't home yet.
Yesterday was better. I know that soon enough it will be home. My heart will be at QES.
As I was taking inventory of everything I couldn't help but feel like I was stepping in on someone else's territory.
Everything has the previous teacher's name on it. None of the things in the room are mine or even feel like mine.
It is all foreign.
I tried to make a few copies and almost had a breakdown. The copier kept telling me to load paper, but it had paper. I was stressed and couldn't figure it out.
Copies skipped. I'll try again another day.
Those of you who have left a school you loved, how did you make it feel like home?
I know it will take time. What else can I do?
I haven't actually changed school districts, but I have changed buildings. I was transferred from HS science to MS science. It was and still is at times an adjustment. My room was a revolving door of teachers, so really, there wasn't much character at all. I have a bulletin board that is behind the demo table, so it really isn't useful for any student info/interaction, so that is my home for all the things that students have made or given me. I just keep adding the pictures and whatever else I receive. On hard days, it's nice to read the notes that my students have written to me.
ReplyDeleteI know you have written about your love of owls and chevron. I know that you have planned to incorporate that into your classroom. I think that's a great step. Perhaps right now, with summer cleaning still going on, it is hard to make it feel like your home. But I think as soon as you are able to really get in there, rearrange, relabel, pitch things (if necessary), you will feel a change.
I am getting ready to go through what you are going through. I am going into my third year teaching 6th grade. The first two years, I taught at at a middle school I loved. I enjoyed everyone I worked with and my principal and I got along great. Now, I am moving to a new middle school. I've only been in there to drop off my stuff. I saw my room for a few minutes and then I had to leave. I probably won't get to go into the classroom until right before school :( I AM FREAKING OUT!
ReplyDeleteI,too, have a love for owls and chevron and that is want instinctively drew me to your blog. I just recently started blogging and I have a post on there about making owls to hang from your ceiling! Maybe you could make some of those to make your classroom feel like home?