you'll make it!

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Home : 2002 : January : 13

you'll make it!
By Donna

First of all, let me just say that Cathy-Dee is right on both counts-- RELAX and YOU'LL DO FINE! Also, although I've never met her, she's a great person and an experienced teacher who has given lots of sage advice all
over these boards.
I also started my teaching job just 3 days after being hired when the former teacher backed out. I didn't get off to as organized a start as I had always hoped for, but I survived and things are going very well now. I'm sure the same will happen for you.

My advice to you after you read this message is to relax and get some sleep. You can't possibly

figure everything out by tomorrow, just go in and do the best you can with what you've been dealt. You'll be better off if you have the energy and enthusiasm to push through the day. Cathy-Dee gave you some great ideas, and I think you're wise to start off like the first day of school all over again. Best of luck tomorrow-- I'll sign on tomorrow night to see how it went. Also, if you need to talk things through more, I'd love to help because I've been there!

Oh, and I read your post on the other board about spelling tests. I would say yes, PLEASE do some sort of spelling or word wall test, and hold your students accountable for the spelling of those words in their work afterwards (even if they have them on some sort of a word wall to refer to, just don't allow invented spelling of high frequency words, or words like "thay" will become automatic for you students and you'll regret it later). It is fairly common for 1st graders to have spelling tests, and once they're over their fear, it's also good for practice and responsibility. Also, when you have your students write their words 3 times each, you might consider doing "rainbow spelling"-- they write it in 3 different colored crayons or colored pencils (markers won't work), one on top of the next. I student taught in first grade and my students loved this-- plus, it's also a fine motor and visual coordination task, AND takes a few seconds less to correct! Anyway, don't worry about spelling yet-- have fun and you'll be great!