Jump Right In

Yesterday was my first official day as a Saber! I felt a little nervous walking up to school, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I will fit right in. The “small but mighty” school where I will be teaching is going to be a perfect place for me to start. As a first year teacher, you hear a lot of advice. Generally, people are trying to be helpful and they want you to have a good experience; however, it gets to be overwhelming when sorting through all of the information. Small schools allow a teacher to truly find their identity. I’m not exactly sure how I want to organize my classroom, lesson plans, or thoughts at this point, but I know that it won’t take long to get into a routine. I’m thankful for the flexibility of the small school that will slowly mold me into the best teacher I can be.

It didn’t take long for me to feel right at home. The other staff welcomed me as we played team-building games (my favorite… not). I was sure to be friendly and introduce myself to as many people as I could. After all, this is going to be my home away from home. I realized that this school is more like a community, rather than a "business" like some larger schools. I’m not saying one is better than the other, especially since someday I would like to be in a larger district. I just know this is exactly where I need to be right now.

On my drive home, I started to consider the possibilities of the year. I have always wanted to give my best, but for some reason I got an urge to be even better. I realized that I can finally take ownership of my work – my classroom, my students, my lessons. They are all "my babies," and I am excited to explore and grow. So, here goes nothing; I might as well just jump right in!