Almost there!

The kids come back to school on Tuesday. The administration at my school has no idea what to expect. They say it is possible that hundreds of "extra" kids will rush the building, since they don't want to attend St. Louis Public, which is now unaccredited.

There are several new Spanish teachers this year. I am supposed to be showing them the ropes. I love to help and lead people, but there are still so many things I don't know. It seems so ironic. At the same time, I think back to the weekend before school began last year. The amount of things that I know now about teaching that I did not know then is absurd. Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to shove all that knowledge into the brains of first-year teachers. I can put some of the information there, but mostly, teachers learn by doing.

My room is essentially serving as a model of awesomeness at my school. Other teachers are coming for inspiration. I like being modest, but even I have to admit that there is no other classroom anywhere as rockin' as mine. Once Ian returns to STL, we are going to make a video and share it with everyone.

The other day, I was talking to one of my administrators about a new Spanish teacher, and I asked where his room would be. She said that he would be using a cart. I was incredulous, a cart?!?! She then proceeded to tell me that I was spoiled as a first year teacher, because I had a room.

Hold the phone. Rewind. Yes, she said I was spoiled as a first-year teacher because I had a room. Four walls. I may have taken the cart if I could have the other things I was missing. In case you are not familiar with my experience in August and September of last year, here is what I DID have the first month and a half of school:

Nearly 35 students per class
Desks for about half of my students (you could find about 15 kids per period on my floor, yes the FLOOR)
NO telephone in case of emergency
NO whiteboard (that is a modern day chalkboard, for you oldies)
NO bulletin boards
NO usable textbooks
NO clock
NO bell system or intercom (letting the students out of class was guesswork)
NO cabinets to store classroom items (cabinets are a norm at my school)
A salary about 5 grand less than first-year counterparts at other charter schools
A salary about 3 grand less than first-year counterparts at the public schools in St. Louis City

Yes, I was definitely spoiled with 4 walls. You've got to be kidding me. It made me livid. I believe the reason I was so affected by this statement is because in spite of all this, I worked ridiculously hard, as did my kids, and the students learned. They learned more in my class during that time than in several of their other classes. I felt as if my work and theirs was being discounted.

Don't get me wrong, overall, I had a great year last year. But the LAST thing I was is spoiled. Please.

This blog will start being more about Portland and the PPS Board of Education in the near future. I will still write about my daily experiences as a TFAer in STL, but I will do that in a journal. Ian thinks that doing it this way will help establish a history of interest and thought about the school board. Instead of just saying that running is not a last minute choice, there will be some documentation. Of course, he is right. Unfortunately, sometimes there is not much to say about the board, but I will do my best to keep my readers entertained with my thoughts!

I cannot wait to have my students walk through the door. I just hope that things are organized, because if kids are being switched around until December again, it will make it much harder on them, me, and the other new teachers (and old ones)!