What a day.
I knew today was going to be a busy one, seeing that I was moving into a new classroom and setting things up my way - but I didn't realise quite how difficult it was going to be.
Three words for you: I am knackered.
People changed their minds about which room I was going into; so instead of a partially set up classroom, I ended up in an unused one. Which is fine by me, less stress for the other teachers having to move around for me. Except that this classroom hadn't been used as anything other than a storage space for the past couple of years, so it was filthy!
Let me share some achievements from my day;
- Working up a sweat by 9am.
- Ripping off old wallpaper, and dodging the many spiderwebs, pushpins and random bugs that came flying out of it.
- Dancing around massive cockroaches.
- Visiting the stock room for new wallpaper.
- Three times.
- Using up approximately 500 staples.
- Stepping on approximately 500 staples.
- Getting rid of crappy mismatched furniture in the room.
- Filling up the room with new semi-matching furniture.
- Stinking out the room with Dettol table cleaner.
- Realising I had actually stunk out the entire corridor with Dettol table cleaner.
- Getting the room somewhat decent by 5.30pm before being shooed out of the building by the cleaners.
And now let me share some things I am yet to do;
- Find the key to the storeroom.
- Clean and shift the crap that's in the storeroom.
- Shove my OWN stuff into the storeroom.
- Find the key to the window.
- Figure out how to open the sliding door.
- Finish wall papering the main chalkboard wall.
- Find some damn chalk.
- Lug several loads of teaching crap from my car to the room.
- Organise the tables properly, with pencils.
- Grab some workbook sets for the kids to use.
- Steal bookcovers from Belinda's room.
- Steal trays from everyone else's rooms.
- Stick labels on the furniture and trays.
- Figure out what the hell I am actually going to teach these poor cherubs.
But hey, at least we'll be in a pretty looking classroom, right?
I'll take the camera in tomorrow when I've done some more (so much to do before I get the class on Wednesday) cleaning up. I actually wish I'd thought to take the camera in beforehand, because I think it looks much, much better now. It doesn't have brand new squooshy carpet though, like the last classroom I was in. Bummer.
Oh, the class has changed a bit too. Instead of a 1/2/3 class for kids needing learning support, the lovely executives thought it would be a bit too much putting teeny tiny six year olds in with the bigger kids in grade three - so it's been swapped. It's now a 2/3 cross-stage support class. Still a huge challenge, but just a bit less of a challenge.
(Let's not mention the fact that I somehow managed to get the ONE student I asked not to have in that class added onto my list, alright? Sigh.)
Aside from the three elephants that are line dancing across my temples, I was pretty damn happy with getting as much done today as I did. One lovely teacher helped me with wall papering, which saved me a crapload of time, but for the most part I was on my lonesome. And it still looks good! I can absolutely do this "setting up the room" business. Aly power!
(And I also got a chalkboard once again! Hooray! Now I feel like a real teacher. I love my neat chalkboard handwriting, I cannot write to save my life on a whiteboard.)
So. How was your day?
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10 comments:
Yeah. I cried at work... bugger. All good now though. Got to get through the shit to get through the sunshine.
Much like your day I guess.
So, some classrooms still have blackboards hey? You have been listening to those American bloggers too much. Chalkboards. Hee hee.
And you have to do your own wallpapering? Hmm.
This school business is interesting.
Apart from crying the most intersting thing I did was teach someone to use the binder.
those book covers went walking so when you find them (alison) can you get me one!!!! and I thought of another positive - you get to class quicker from assembly as you just go up the steps avoiding the traffic on the ramp!!!!!
there is enough chalk in Robyns storeroom to sink a battle ship!!! CHALK UP baby!!!! give me up whiteboard markers
Damn! Who knew getting ready to teach a class could be so much work. You are my hero!
You are a real trooper- I prob. would have cried if they had given me a room with spiders and cockroaches.
hi Aly found your other blog.. Hope you had a good weekend and that things are getting more and more straightened out wtih your classroom.. I tought pre schoolers for 15 years So I know pretty much where you are coming from.. actually I worked with kids ranging from 18 months to 18 years olds through out the day.. So I can relate... Hope you have a great week...
um, my day only just started about an hour ago, so i'll let you know a bit later. ;) for now, i can tell you that i'm very sleepy and already missing the weekend.
Sounds like quite a productive day. "knackered"....I have a word a day thing set up in my email. Since finding your blog I seem to have an aussie word a day thing going as well. Glad to hear the room is shaping up. I will look forward to the pictures.
BD
Ewck. I hate the chalkboard give me the whiteboard anyday! I hate that dusty chalky feeling on your fingers and dust it creates when you dust the board. Ewck.
Lala - Big hugs to you over your crappy day. Yessum. We have blackboards. And I love 'em. Indeed, I am officially a wall-papering queen. I still don't know how to use the binder in the admin office. Ho hum.
Bel - My spare whiteboard markers are ALL YOURS. Thanks for looking after me, lady.
Lindsay - Thanks chook! I am proud to have it all done and prettified in two days. :D
NPW (I love abbreviations, hee) - I don't mind the cockroaches so much, but if I see any scary spides again I may cry.
Honi - Thanks for the comment! Yes, I love working with the kidlets, it's a challenge but good fun too.
Lara - I miss the weekend, too. Sigh. They always go too quickly..
BD - It is my Aussie duty to pass on some slang to my not-so-Aussie friends. We shall take over the world! Moohaha! I use knackered and buggered all the bloody time. Far out, mate!
Ngaire - I do hope your library is all white-boarded out for you then!! I'm strange, and love the chalky feeling on my fingers. Hee.
Good luck! Sounds like you are going to have a great year once you get the room in order.
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