Breathe In, Breathe Out

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I am freaking out, just a little kind of a lot.

Remember how I told you that I was switching grade levels from 2nd to 3rd and I was tentatively excited for the change?

Well, moving classrooms was not super fun, but I'm unpacking and making some progress.

I have started to have workbooks appear in my classroom. We have workbooks for math, science, reading, language arts, spelling, and handwriting. Yes, for those of you counting along, that's 6 workbooks. And apparently social studies is still coming.

So on Friday I went down and asked, "I know they're probably just on their way, but do you know when I will get my teacher editions?"

And to my surprise... they didn't order any, AND aren't planning on it. This year's class is particularly large, and next year they won't need 9 sections in 3rd, so they decided it wasn't worth the money. I should just "meet with someone else and make copies."

For every subject in the curriculum.

Most of which are completely new series to me.

In this grade level for the first time.

Maybe this is the time to cut loose and design my own curriculum calendar with the standards, but I am kind of flabbergasted that no one even told me this until now.

She assured me, though, that there should be plenty of student books- so I thought, whew, I can work with that. I can yeah without teacher editions if my kids all have books. I can plan with those and be fine. I don't follow teacher editions religiously anyway!

Until the custodian (who knows everything- I'm sure yours does too) took me down to the book storage room and showed me the 2 language arts books and set of health books he had.

That was it.

So now, just like last year, I'm begging other teachers to give up their one or two extra copies in hopes that we can get enough books for my class.

I *just* went through this last year with reading books.

So, yes, I'm freaking out a little. I knew the New-Grade-Level Freakout would come, and it has arrived with a bang.

I'm sure it will all work out. I know it will. But I already feel like I volunteered for a challenge when I offered to switch grades, and I feel like I've been a little blindsided by this detail that no one told me until a week and a half before school starts.

That said, though, I'm an optimist at heart. I know, deep down, that everything will be okay. I'm just a little caught off guard and trying to get my head back in the game now that it's a little different.

Time to stop worrying and get my booty in gear :)

On a happier note, I'm linking up with Currently at Oh Boy Fourth Grade!

I've gone bargain shopping with my mom lately, including a super-great thrift store run. I'm loving my new cheap back-to-school wardrobe so much that you all might get a fashion post. This is not something I normally do at all, but $7 jeans that have already been shortened to the perfect length... well, I am in love.

I tried to pick some different things for my back to school must-haves. Despite being far from a fashionista, a new back-to-school outfit or two are huge for me. Especially as a young teacher, I feel like I need to look super-professional when I first meet parents- and on top of that, it's nice to already know what I'm going to wear on the first day or at open house so that I don't have to even think about it. I have something that I already know I feel good and confident wearing, without having to try on twenty outfits. (Not even an exaggeration.)

But everyone was saying that, so I went with chart paper (SO vital for going over rules and everything at the beginning of the year!), comfy shoes (because my feet just do nooot do cute, especially after a lazy summer where I'm not on my feet all day!), and poster tape. I love this stuff- it's wonderful. (Magnet tape and painter's tape are runner-ups.)

I'll let you know how the whole Great Curriculum Hunt of 2012 goes :) In the meantime, I'm going to cheer up by looking at faces divers make. (Click the photo to go to the article.)