Preparation

The worst part is the guilt. I know I ought to spend the majority of my time preparing for my classroom.

The second to worst part are the options. There's so much to do for my classroom, but I don't even know where to start. So I make excuses and putz around on the computer, compiling helpful information without actually formalizing anything. And I make lots of excuses:

I don't know what my classroom will look like, so I don't know how to prepare. I can't organize or arrange it without the visual. I can't prepare bulletin boards without knowing if I have bulletin board space. I can't look over curriculum because I'm not sure if I'll be starting with 4th or 5th grade. (Though, I have read through those two portions in Common Core.) I can't level my books because all of my books are in boxes. I can't buy organizational and decorational items for my classroom because I don't have extra money.

Excuses aside, I honestly think there isn't much I can do right now. Come August 6, my excuses will run out. I made an appointment with my principal to have a building tour of CI, receive my keys for school, and ask him any questions. I will, also, meet the two other new teachers at CI that day. Then I'll be in a frenzy preparing, planning, organizing, settling in. I'm so happy I'll have the keys, so I can use those weeks to be in my classroom and at school getting ready.

Excitement, worry, joy, and terrified are just the tip of the iceberg. Then guilt gets added on because I'm not doing enough to best prepare myself for this school year which I know will be absolutely crazy. I need something to do until August 6. Hmmm . . . Oh, I can make lists. I'm great at making lists. Now that I have a plan, I'll start making my lists. Not sure what the lists will be about, but I promise I'll be making lists which will aid my classroom preparation.