Surviving the first week of school

It's been a week since I started teaching at my new school and I'm already EXHAUSTED. I think it's partly the frenetic pace of the school, partly that I'm creating lesson plans from scratch for 11 different classes (2 of which are quite challenging because they're, a. scholars, b. Y8s who are taking exams at the end of the year that will dictate what schools they get into), partly that I'm trying to make a good impression and consquently always "on", and partly because I'm a type A personality and try to get everything done perfectly! In any case, it all translates into a very sleepy me in the morning...and the afternoon....and the evening. lol.

I'm really starting to love it though. I struggled a bit the first week, just because I didn't know anyone on staff and was a bit lonely, and also because the kids were being a bit too lively for my liking. I spent the weekend relaxing and trying to come up with strategies to help them settle down and, as of Monday, I've put those strategies into place. So far, they seem to be working, especially with the younger kids! The older ones are currently being controlled with sweets (:D Hey, I never said I was above bribery!), so it's all fine.

In the meantime, the kids and I are getting along really well. In addition to the form teacher who told me her class remembered me from my interview lesson and couldn't wait for my class (they're my Y7 scholars, actually), I've had a colleague whose son is at the school tell me that his favourite class is history (apparently a huge compliment because at the same time last year, he told her he liked lunch best), and another form teacher tell me that his class has come in saying that I'm brilliant :). I've also had kids telling me their favourite class is history (though those particular kids might have been influenced by the sweets I had just given them ;D), others saying hello in the halls then whispering to their friends, "That's Miss Choi! She's so nice!", and children just generally being as sweet and lovely as children can be.

I walked into my first Y4 history class last Friday and was met by a chorus of, "Oh, it's Miss Choi!!!" from the kids who are also in my English set. At the end of the lesson, one little boy put his hand up and asked if I was going to teach their next lesson. When I said no, I had to go teach another class and their regular teacher was coming back, he cocked his head at me and said, very seriously, "Can't Miss Holden go teach them and you stay here?" haha.

And last night, which was parents' night for the Y6s and 7s, I was standing at my table, waiting for the parents of the kids in my tutor group, when a woman approached me. She introduced herself as the mother of a girl who's NOT in my tutor group, then said, "I just had to come over here and tell you that Rene absolutely loves your class. She's so excited to be doing her history homework at home right now, and she says that History is her favourite subject this year!" She then thanked me for getting her daughter into it. I smiled and said thanks very much, that was very kind of her, and told her how lovely her daughter is. I was both flattered and taken aback, though. I've only had her daughter's class twice and I have to say that the subject matter so far has been incredibly boring! Ah well, I'm not going to complain about children enjoying my class :).

All in all, things seem to be going pretty well. Now it's time for bed so I don't keep yawning though my morning classes!