I finally got the job!

[PirateLover]

Some of you may know I've been working at IKEA for a few months because I was having lots of trouble finding a job in education after I graduated in 2007. Well, someone finally took a chance on me! I am teaching at a Catholic gradeschool in the city. I have a 7th grade class, and will be teaching 7th and 8th grade Social Studies, and well as 7th grade Integrated Language Arts, and Latin once a week.

Everyone has been so kind and welcoming, and I understand now what everyone meant when they told me I needed to hang in there and that I would find my place eventually. I am so excited to finally be able to start my career that I wasn't even nervous today, the first day of school! However, finally a little bit of panic has started to creep in. The fact of the matter is, I was only hired a week and a half ago. I had to give IKEA 2 weeks notice in case I want to have a summer job or go back part time at any point. So between finishing that job, running around buying things for the classroom and setting it up (Because they didn't even know they were going to have a second 7th grade teacher until last minute, there was nothing for me... I had to move all the desks, clean, scrounge for decorations) so I've had no time at all to lesson plan and haven't been getting much sleep.

I have such a positive attitude about it, I'm just worried about falling behind the pace. You hear so many horror stories about first year teachers. Luckily, everyone in the school has been sooo supportive, and even the kids seem great. So, I guess I'm just asking for a little pixie dust to help me remain positive and be able to catch up and maybe even get ahead, and to be the best teacher I can be. Also, any advice from middle school teachers is always welcomed.

P.S. Since some people ask from time to time, I just thought I'd let you know my grandfather has been doing well lately. So things for the most part in my life are good, God willing. (I would knock on wood, but we just went over the 10 commandments with the kids today and superstitions technically fall under "false gods" :secret:)

[TikiGoddess]

Congratulations!! That's great. I've been teaching for about 12 years now, and I still remember my first year of teaching. It was pretty bad, but only because of one thing: I didn't ask other teachers (or admin) for help when I needed it. I wanted everyone to think I had it under control. Believe me, every teacher has been where you are, and it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help. It's a sign of weakness to have a problem and NOT ask for help.

Now I take student teachers each year, and mentor new teachers when they come into the district. I think I freak them out a little when I'm poking my head in and asking them if they need anything! I just know that no one went out of their way to help me through my first year... and I also see how teaching really is a 'team' profession. If you're having trouble with a student, chances are other teachers are having the same problem. And veteran teachers have so many ways and ideas of how to deal with situations... steal as many ideas as possible! It's legal!

Best of luck, and welcome to one of the most rewarding (and exhausting) professions in the world.

Kathy

PS if you need any help, PM me any time! :)

[kakn7294]

Congrats Maryanne! I'm glad you hung in there and didn't get too discouraged. Best of luck with this new position!

[SBETigg]

Great news on the job, congratulations! And thanks for the grandfather update, too. I'm glad to hear he's doing well. Best wishes!

[Kairi_7378]

I'm so happy for you! Even though you have a ton on your plate between your jobs and planning your wedding, this is all great stuff! I'm a graduate of the Philadelphia Catholic school system... which parish are you teaching at? So happy to hear that your grandfather is doing well, too!

[Georgesgirl1]

Congrats on your new job!
I totally agree with Kathy. As a teacher myself, I tried to do it all on my own the first few months of my first year and really struggled. Then I caught on and started borrowing ideas and getting help from the veteran teachers around me. Most teachers are very willing to share ideas b/c they are ideas that they borrowed from someone else at some point.
Good luck! I think you will really enjoy teaching!

[mickey&missy]

congratulations! good luck and enjoy!

[pdrlkr]

:congrats:

[BoricuaBell]

Congrats and good luck!

[PirateLover]

I'm so happy for you! Even though you have a ton on your plate between your jobs and planning your wedding, this is all great stuff! I'm a graduate of the Philadelphia Catholic school system... which parish are you teaching at? So happy to hear that your grandfather is doing well, too!

Pope John Paul II, it's St. John Cantius parish.
I am also a product of Philly catholic schools... I went to St. Mary Interparocial in center city.

And thank you everyone! Believe me, I am taking all the help I can get. Today alone I kept bopping over to other classes to make sure I knew the general procedures. They are being so helpful. One teacher who is now my official "mentor" is going to take me to this program where they give you tons of stuff for free. Everyone has been great.

[RedSoxFan]

Congrats!! Glad to hear your grandfather is doing well too.

[ElenitaB]

Congratulations! Wish my son was in your 7th grade class... I'm so impressed that you're teaching Latin. :notworth:

Here's some :pixie: to help you through! When I taught, I found that teachers are a lot like scrapbookers... they're willing to share their ideas so that everyone can create a great outcome!

[Sylvia]

:congrats:
I, too, am a product of Philadelphia Catholic schools - Old St. Joseph's Grade School and St. Maria Goretti High School. I grew up in Old St. Mary's Parish.

I'm glad to see that Latin is still being taught, since I was one of those odd few who actually had Latin for 4 years in high school and loved every minute of it. :clappy:

More :pixie: for you. May you have a long career in education. Your students are lucky to have you.

[MNNHFLTX]

Congratulations and good luck in your new job, Maryanne. :thumbsup:

Glad your grandfather is doing well too. :)

[ChipnDaleGal]

Congratulations on the new job Maryanne. Sounds like it was worth the wait. :thumbsup:

[PirateLover]

:congrats:
I, too, am a product of Philadelphia Catholic schools - Old St. Joseph's Grade School and St. Maria Goretti High School. .
My mom was Lamb! She graduated in '68.
My grade school went to mass at Old St. Joe's and Old St. Mary's... I had my May Procession in Old St. Mary's. I was the May Queen :D

[AdventurelandTikiGirl]

:congrats: on the job!

I am in the exact same boat as you! I graduated in 2002 with a Master's in Elementary Ed. I've been trying to get a job, but elementary ed is ultra competitive in the Boston area. I FINALLY landed my first teaching job, a fourth grade position, less than two weeks before the start of school. I can totally empathize with the scramble to get it all together! I'm just taking it day by day and also relying on mentor teachers.

It can be very overwhelming, but even after two days, I know it's where I wanna be.

:wishes: for your new job and some :pixie: too!

[Sylvia]

My mom was Lamb! She graduated in '68.
My grade school went to mass at Old St. Joe's and Old St. Mary's... I had my May Procession in Old St. Mary's. I was the May Queen :D

As I've said before, it's a small world and getting smaller every day. I grew up at 6th and Spruce and we were in Old St. Mary's parish, but, since St. Mary's didn't have a school, I went to Old St. Joseph's. I received all of the childhood sacraments at Old St. Mary's. First Communion was a little strange, though. There were only 2 of us in class who were in St. Mary's parish and we had to wait until the week after our classmates received First Communion at St. Joseph's. Confirmation was almost as bad. The Bishop didn't come to Old St. Mary's every year for Confirmation. I had to wait until I was in the 6th grade; I remember we had to wear white floppy beanies with red pompoms - looked great on the younger kids, but a little funny on a 5'6" 6th grader.:blush:

We were in 2 May Processions every year - one at each church. The procession at St. Mary's was really great; we walked along Spruce and Fifth Streets into the cemetery, where the May Queen crowned the statue of the Blessed Mother. The May Queen was always an 8th grader, but that changed when I was in the 7th grade to a 2nd grader. I'm impressed that you were May Queen.

By the time I was ready for high school, we had moved to St. Paul's parish, which is how I wound up at SMG. Actually we moved to the parish when I was in 7th grade, but didn't register until I was ready to graduate, so I was able to finish grade school at St. Joseph's. I should have been in the class of 1963 at Goretti, but since I started first grade when I was 5, I was always a year younger than my classmates. I graduated in 1962.

I thoroughly enjoyed school and I'm glad that the Goretti building is being used for the combined high school, especially since so many places from my childhood, including my grade school building, are long gone.

[LittleSpirit02]

Congratulations! That is great news! :)

[PirateLover]

Well, don't be too impressed than I was May Queen... my name was drawn out of a hat and there were only 8 girls in my class!

[diz_girl]

Congratulations from another Philly Catholic schoolgirl (St. Martin of Tours - for 1st & 2nd grades - and Archbishop Ryan HS for Girls)