Back to School, Back to School

It is Saturday night at 8 p.m. We had 1.5 days of school this week and already I'm exhausted; it makes me a little nervous for next week which will be the normal 5.5 days (yikes). But all in all, it was an excellent 1.5 days this first week of school.

This year, as far as teaching is concerned, will be amazing. Last year I had all lower level classes which just meant that my students' English and math skills were low. It was really fun and I loved all of my students. This year however, I get the department chair pick of classes and I teach really high level kids. I only teach 9th and 10th graders this year, totally different from last year when I spanned from 7th to 11th grade, and only A and B classes (the best English and math skills for their respective grades- score!). I can tell already, after only one full day of classes, that this year will be much more intensive in the math and less on the ESL side. Since I am not trained in ESL and am trained in math, this is a good switch. I am excited to challenge my students this year which will also be an appropriate challenge for myself professionally.

I am also really excited to see how the new staff works out this year. Last year I was one of the newbies, and it's really fun for me to be on the other side of the table now. I am mentoring the new TOEFL teacher, Bella, who is an ABC (American Born Chinese...or I guess Taiwanese) and she is amazing which makes my job as a mentor very easy. She is very intelligent and really fun so it's great to work with her. And it's fun to help my friend Tricia out in the math department since it's her first year here as well.

Above everything else though, it is so amazing to see the students again. I don't know if it was the distance over the summer that made our bonds stronger, or maybe I just forgot how much fun they can be, but it is SOO fun seeing them again. Even some of the students who I didn't really have a strong connection with last year have been so excited to see me, and in return, I'm really interested in talking to them again too. Reuniting with my students from last year was something I completely underestimated coming back for a second year and I'm glad because it is a total bonus now that I'm here! I've never been hugged more in my life I think.

Tomorrow is the only full day off I have this week and since I stayed at school until 5 tonight (after teaching classes this morning that is) I have absolutely no work to do during my day off. I am greatly looking forward to it as you can imagine! I can only hope I won't get bored (joke).