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Holy overwhelming
Let me start out with the disclaimer that I love this job opportunity I've gotten and I love my co-workers and I'm excited for the year.
I'm
so flippin' overwhelmed right now though. I found out today I have 10 days to
get a parent welcome letter, syllabus, basic timeline, and 2 weeks of
lesson plans done. This wouldn't be so bad except I teach 3 very
different classes so I have to do all of that 3 times. It's a lot since none of these courses really have a curriculum to go by so I'm making it all up, but it's do-able.
But then one of the admin is super excited about band so that's all she talks to me about. This is why I didn't know I was teaching 2 other courses until I asked the right questions to find out, because all she talks about is band. Today she pulls a drama teacher over and asks if I'd help with the musical AND they think it'd be great if I ran guitar club and a jazz band after school. Plus I need to call her friend who runs band programs because she will be SO much help to me and may even come into my class to help out and I should call the local music store and see if a clinician will come in and introduce the instruments to kids.
I don't have all the efffffing time in the world and I know I said I'd need some
help, but this is too much. I need to focus on just getting these beginning classes started and then we can look to grow the program. This admin is also not getting that this
is BEGINNING band. We're working mostly out of a lesson book so I don't
need to borrow music from other programs and you really can't play in a
jazz band your first year. She handed me her kid's old music the other day to "help". The music is for an instrument that is not for beginners and it is not beginner music.
As it is, I have a lot prepared for band and absolutely nothing for chorus or music apprec yet. Maybe next time she asks if I did whatever task for band she told me I should do, I can reply that I am working on the other courses? I feel like it'll just make her say "You really need to get this done" about all the other stupid sh-t though.
Re: Holy overwhelming
You can do it! Hopefully you can get one done and then use that as a jumping off point for the others. And I'm guessing the parent's welcome letter can be the same, maybe just a few edits.
It must be nice in some ways to do it all from the ground up!
The welcome letter can be exactly the same with just different class names (like mentioned above). I'm not sure what middle/ high school syllabus us look like anymore. I know my college ones looked pretty similar timeline wise (intro to, homework, more learning, homework, project, more learning,etc.). I'm not a teacher so what I say probably isn't helpful.
Just redirect the conversation to the other classes. "that's great. At the moment I'm working or doing x. Have any ideas on x?" .... "no? Then I better go work on it now. I'll talk to you later".
It's cute that she's excited and trying to help, but holy cow, she's coming on strong! I like the idea of telling her you're working on the other courses, maybe it'll shed some light on how much other stuff you have going on!
Dee, I'm sorry you're feeling so overwhelmed. The beginning of the year is definitely like that (and most of your first year, if we're being honest!!!). Just know that once you get through this year, you will know more about what you're doing and next year will be better. The first year is just about survival and I promise that you WILL survive...you'll be busy as hell and will spend WAY too much time at school, but you'll make it!
As for all those extras, being in the music department stinks. My best friend is a choir teacher and they aren't necessarily part of the job, but are expected. She has extra after-school choirs many nights and during the musical, there are weeks where she'll be at school till 10-11 every night. At least you should be getting paid extra for that.
Do you have a mentor? Talk to him/her about how you can make things easier on yourself and double dip with your syllabi. Also, I think after a year or two of teaching the courses, you'll naturally begin to see where you can cross over the curriculum. Sorry that it takes a bit of time to see those things though. And I think it's okay to tell your principal that you're feeling overwhelmed, but assure him/her you can manage it. They don't expect a new teacher to walk in without that feeling!!
Just remember, it'll all be worth it when you're doing concerts and see how all your work has paid off!
My Ovulation Chart || Ovulation Tracker
I love how positive you all are
I'm feeling a little better today! The elementary music teacher (she's been there 1 year so far) and I had a good talk today. She agrees they were asking way too much of me and especially so early in the school year. Phew. We talked about how we'll work together a bit to really build up the music program ourselves and that way the admin will see that we can handle it and back off.
Now I am just going to try to avoid that administrator who is driving me crazy. Hopefully she's too busy to bug me, but I agree with you guys I'll just have to bean dip with a smile when I do run into her!