Thus begins the prep

I officially start work on 8/5, but the work has already begun in earnest. I've been in my classroom for the past 3 or 4 days, moving tables, chairs, and cabinets; going through and setting up text books for easy access; trying to figure out the best way to set up tables for the kids. I am bruised and battered. I still have to put stuff on the walls, I still have to go through mounds and mounds of stuff left me from the previous teacher (and thank goodness he did leave me this stuff!!), I still have to set up my desk, create forms, plan for the first week of school, and figure out how to say "build an electrical current" and "closed polygon" in Spanish (among other such phrases).

The plan is to have all that hard physical labor done by Sunday so that BIL can help me put stuff on the walls (I can't reach and he's TALL). I will be bribing him with breakfast, lunch or dinner - truly I couldn't do it without his help. Then Monday and for the rest of next week, I can focus on curriculum, and those forms and plans.

I think the official start for teachers should be a week earlier than scheduled. We need that time to set up - no way I could make it in time if I came in on the actual start date!! Meet the Teacher night is next Thursday for christ's sake! The kids start a week from Monday! It would be impossible. And we should get paid for it. It is all a part of creating a successful learning environment!

So here I am, up early (not as early as during the school year though!), steeling myself for the work day ahead. I need a fortifying smoothie and a shower and some ibuprofen and a mocha. And maybe a game or two of farkle and/or canasta before I'm fully ready.

Time to make the donuts.