News of the Day

Yes, it is true! I will be teaching grade 2 in Stirling School next fall for the year! I am so excited!

I decided last minute that I was going to apply, as I had planned on just subbing, but because I need to bank in my hours in order to keep my teaching certificate (two years of full time teaching completed in 3 years), and especially as I didn't sub even for six months after having Brody, I think it will be wisest for me to go full-time. This way I can get the hours in quickly and won't have to worry about loosing my certificate as much.

I am definitely very lucky to have gotten a position in Stirling, and seriously, how much more fun can you get then grade 2? (well, okay, I'd say that about most grades, but still).

Right now my biggest concerns are:

1. I am going to miss a lot of Brody's 'one-year old' year.

• That makes me so sad. I know I'll still be able to spend time with him every day, but it is just not the same. I keep trying to remind myself not to worry because he will be napping for a good portion of the time I'm gone anyways. I need to decide where we will send him while I'm working. It is so nice to have the Daycare here in Stirling, especially when it is so close to the school. I like the program that they have so far, and I know that it is still improving all of the time, but I wonder if I might find a situation where he can stay with someone with just one or two children at home, so it is slightly quieter and more like he would be experiencing if he were home with me every day. I'm not even sure how much is appropriate to offer someone for a day-home situation as opposed to the day care. Is that normally more expensive? I could also see if I could get different people to watch him for different days of the week, but I don't know if it's better to be consistant with them? I need to decide soon, because I want to make sure that the daycare is not full for the fall if I decide to go that way.

2. Where do I start?

• I am feeling kind of overwhelmed as to where to start with my planning for next year! There is so much to do, but there are still a lot of things that are not set in stone yet, so I don't want to do major planning until I have a more certain schedule. I'm nervous that my ideas won't work, or will not be as good for grade 2 as I think they will (as most of my experience is with the older students). I'm nervous that some of the parents that I now have a good relationship with will be unhappy with the way that I teach their child, and will wish their child was in another class. I'm worried that I will be overwhelmed with all of my work and will not have enough time to spend with Brody and to do house work and yard work, and that Kevin will be too busy farming to help as much as he thinks he will be able to. So... I guess I need to take a deep breath and think short-term for now, and remember that I really do enjoy teaching and that it is wonderful to see the students learning and progressing.

Any advice or ideas for me, I'd gladly listen. I hope that everything will work out in the end.