Back to School: The panic is real

It’s that time again: summer is over and everyone is thinking about going back to school. For me, this will be an extra exciting year. In July I moved across the country to escape the winters of Chicago and see if I was better suited for the California sunshine. In packing, I think I may have had just as many boxes labeled “classroom” as I did for my house, so I was happy when I could unload them and start setting up.

But the panic is real for me this year. If moving across country by myself wasn’t bold enough, I also accepted a job teaching high school, leaving the middle school comfort zone where I have resided for the past eleven years. And as the cherry on this sundae of change, I am teaching 4 sections of Spanish for Spanish Speakers, something I know I am capable of doing, but new and daunting at the same time. 

I share this to let other teachers know that you’re not alone in your feelings of #BTSpanic. Maybe you didn’t decide to change everything at once like me, but each time you take on a new curriculum, there’s a learning curve. It doesn’t matter if you’re a first timer or you have loads of experience. The important thing is to be kind to yourself and give yourself permission to be less-than-perfect that first year. For most of us, if we are good at our jobs, we are our own worst critics and “less-than-perfect” is still pretty darn good. And when all else fails, remember that We teach kids, not (insert subject here).  So focus on them and the rest will fall into place. Happy school year!
-Stephanie