An introduction to me for those who do find my little blog:

I am entering my ninth year of teaching.  I cannot believe that.  Nine years.  A common saying: time has flown.  It has, though. It has flown.  I moved here right out of university accepting my first job teaching Math 7 and 9, and Music K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and Junior High Band 7 and 8/9 in rural Alberta.  My boyfriend (and later husband) and I moved here thinking we would live here two or three years.  Long enough to get some experience and then move back to central Alberta.  Now it has been a decade.

I have been with two schools over the last decade.  At my first school, where I was originally hired, I had a very stable teaching assignment.  I taught junior high math and the music program.  I had few variances to that, but was crazy involved in my school and its community.  I worked on countless committees, coached school sports, played in local sports leagues, and every aspect of my life revolved around my job.

I got married in June 2008 and had my first son in June 2010.  I was lucky.  I had a fantastic 14 months with my son and then returned to work.  At a new school, forcefully transferred.  I was crushed.  I lived and breathed that first school for six years, had gotten into a groove, built report with students and their families, had a plan, felt comfortable.  And then I was transferred to another school in my district.  To teach a whole different batch of subjects, with far less stability, all whilst having a toddler to care for after school hours.

I started at my new school, assigned to teach language arts and math to grade three students, in addition to the music program, as well as resurrect a band program.  I worked hard, no matter my personal feelings of the transfer.  I was promised to teach grade four LA and Math before school let out for the summer.  I was pleased; I would get many of the same students I had in grade three.  I was pleased with my teaching partner.  I was pleased to be going upwards in grade level.  As well, I was pregnant.

My second year at the school would be a partial year.  I would be there until Christmas and then go on my second maternity leave.  A week into the school year, I was told I would be moved to teach LA and Math to grade one students instead.  Again, I was crushed, and hormonal, and irrational, and then rational again.  I worked hard, no matter my personal feelings on the grade level change.

I left at Christmas, having my second son in early January 2013.  I again had a full 12 months off for maternity leave.  I had another fantastic time, this time home with my newborn and my two and a half year old son.  I had a great year with my boys, seeing how fast my toddler was learning and how he adapted to being a big brother was amazing.  I did not want to go back to work.  I wanted to stay home with my boys and enjoy their early years.  However, as with many people, that was just not really feasible, and I am a school-a-holic, so I returned to work in January of 2014.  Oh, and I returned to grade five LA and Math.  Yup, another grade level change.

This past year I again had another change.  I would teach grade five LA, but not Math.  I taught Social Studies instead, as well adding Health 5, Health 8/9, and a Current Events elective as well.  These were all courses I enjoyed (well, maybe not health...), but four new curriculums.  A new classroom space again, and I have a pre-schooler and a toddler to take up my non-school time.  Oy!

Friends, I have a great year to look ahead to.  I have a grade 4/5 combined class this year, 20 students total, teaching LA and SS, and the rest of my teaching assignment is music and band classes.  No new curriculum!  I got to stay in the same classroom space!  All good things!  While the summer got off to a rocky start, school-wise, I had a great summer personally, and now look forward to a new school year!

This blog is meant as more of a diary of sorts.  If you are reading this, I am thankful to have someone to go on this year's journey with me.  I hope to write weekly, celebrating successes and commiserating in failures, sharing personal and professional bits of the goings-on in my life.

So good luck to you in your upcoming year and let's look ahead to a great year!

Students start on Tuesday.  I prepare and plan for them.  A mantra.

TTFN,

TM