preparation

Entering a new school year means that teachers need to get back into the swing of things. There is a whole lot that goes into teaching beyond the time that is spent in the classroom. A big component of what happens outside of the classroom is preparation. Without it, a teacher is lost (at least I am).

I had spent various, random hours throughout the course of the summer preparing for my first week of school and planning out my first thematic unit. I purchased some supplemental materials to make activities more engaging for my students. I created assessments that were aligned to the unit and to Common Core. I set myself up to ease into the new school year and the first couple of weeks of school. Then I went to my professional development sessions this past Thursday and Friday.

Now, all of my prep work has been thrown out the window (at least a large chunk of it). This summer the district set up pacing guides that tell us week by week what we are supposed to be covering from the materials that have been purchased to help up deliver grade appropriate instruction to our students (based on the standards). I no longer have the freedom to work with my grade level teachers to develop units to cover these standards. I need to teach by the book.

In some ways, this can make preparation a little easier. The text books are essentially scripted to ensure that teachers can understand what the publishers are trying to convey through their texts. In a lot of ways this makes preparation harder for me. You see, I understand that I am expected to teach using the materials that the district has purchased, but I also want to go above and beyond that expectation. I want my lessons to be more engaging than the script that has been prepared for me by a British publishing company. I want to bring in elements that are culturally relevant to my students. I want to engage my students, to push them to make connections that make sense to them, and to make education enjoyable for them. This means I need to put in more hours to adapt the materials that I have so that I can rise to my vision of education.

Today I spent several hours revamping my back to school lesson plan. I cannot spend a week on getting to know my students and helping them to get to know me and my expectations. I have been told to jump in feet first and get this first unit rolling, even if I do not feel that that is what will best help my students learn. Whatever the case, I am prepared to merge my vision with that of the publisher's and I will be prepared when Monday morning rolls around to make education exciting for my kinders.