PD week 1 or how teachers get ready for school

Ok so the last time I remembered I had a blog I told you about the first two “new teachers only” days. I will attempt to now fill you in on the rest of my PD week.(I know you are all dying to hear how teachers get ready for work). I am often long winded so we shall see how this goes. Fair warning…this gets LOOONG. Sorry in advance. Mostly.

Ok! I left you at Tuesday night. Wednesday morning we arrived to school for a continental breakfast at 8:30. The school had provided coffee, orange juice, bananas, some bread with peanut butter/jelly etc, and a few other healthy and non-healthy things. We had a 1/2 hour to like awkwardly eat and maybe meet the other returning teachers. I am not a fan of being the new person. There is always nervousness and fear of whether or not you’ll fit in or like these new people or if you’ll all be able to work together. So I get nervous and then like don’t talk to people because I like to pretend I’m too cool for that when really I’m just terrified they won’t like me. I do much better when I’m welcoming new people instead. Anyways…We greeted each other but also kinda stayed in our own little bubbles of people we knew. At 9 our principle called the meeting to order so we could do a “get to know you” activity. This was led by the 5th grade returning teacher John. He had us play “get to know you bingo”…sorta. Basically we had to go around the room and attempt to speak to people we didn’t know and ask if they had done one of the things on the sheet. And we were meant to then have a conversation regardless of if they had done the thing. He was very adamant about the conversation and using each other’s names. They signed it and we moved on. I spoke to a number of the new teachers and you guys. They were so nice about everything. It honestly felt like they were so happy for us to be there and just wanted to know about us. Some of the things on the bingo were like “read 3+ books over the summer” “didn’t leave Busan” “drank coffee every single day” “read 10 + books over the summer” (I signed for that one…). We met like 5–7 people and then it was time for regular PD. We started by creating group norms for staff meetings.

My favorite thing about my new principal is that he actively tries both to have us model things and practices what he preaches when it comes to engagement in the classroom. We did a series of activities to arrive at our group norms so that everyone’s voice was heard and we were all up and moving. Basically it boiled down to “be on time, don’t waste time, have clear procedures, and respect everyone’s everything” But was worded much more beautifully and clearly. We had a bit of conversation about wording that was tabled for the next day due to time constraints (the norms were already working!!!) This series of activities modeled best practice in getting kids and adults involved in large groups and was so much better than being lectured at.

Then we moved on to our expected school-wide learning results. We met in divisions- pre-k 3-grade 2, grades 3–5, ms/HS humanities, and ms/HS STEM. We talked about how to implement these results with fidelity and how to use them in each of our classes. While talking my division realized how willing to collaborate we are! All but one of us is new to BFS this year so it’s awesome to have a staff so willing to come together. It reminded me of my last teaching staff in the best way possible.

Then LUNCH! My favorite part of my day. We ate, met some more people, stopped up in our classrooms for like 1/2 hour and then proceed back to meetings. We did some super fun skits to learn the important information from the teachers handbook. My new coworkers are funny ya’ll. We learned the important information and I may steal that activity for teaching my syllabus (cause syllabi are boring ya’ll (also I’m super obsessed with saying/typing ya’ll lately but idk why)). Classroom work time after that aka panic mode. I spent time putting up my memes and finishing organizing my classroom. Plus I probably did some planning? Can’t remember honestly.

That afternoon it had *thunderstormed* and yes the * are necessary cause it was epic. I am notoriously terrible at feeding myself and that night I didn’t run into anyone on my way out of school to go out to dinner with. I was also panicking over school and everything I had to do and my anxiety level was through the roof and I couldn’t even think so I went to the coffee shop to internet and calm down. I watched a few episodes of Brooklyn 99 which helped bring my brain back into function. I then headed out to my friend Megan’s apartment cause she has internet! I got lost twice, tried to enter the wrong building, and bought some terrible microwave meal at the CU in her complex before finally finding her apartment. It’s bigger than mine I think? It’s super nice at any rate. We hung out doing work until like 10 when I wandered home.

Thursday! Still hotter than is acceptable. I have now taken to carrying my sweater in my purse so when I freeze in meetings I have it. I have been wearing sleeveless cotton dresses to work because they are both the coolest and most comfortable things I own at the moment. We met again in the auditorium as a full staff. We were supposed to have a potluck breakfast but very few people knew that so we didn’t and moved it to Friday instead. We did “speed dating” as another get to know you activity. We were to spend about 4–5 minutes talking to someone we didn’t know that well. Every person I spoke with was a new teacher and let me go on and on about myself while I learned little about them. Unsure if this is cause I can’t shut up (don’t you dare say anything family…) or if the new teachers just deeply wanna welcome me. Probably both. The final teacher I spoke to was John (who led the activity the day before). He and I spent a solid two minutes joking about me not knowing my name and that’s why I wear an L on my necklace for kinesthetic memory (I had on a necklace from my brother that day who’s name also happens to be John). Basically just being ridiculous. Which I love in coworkers so I think we’ll get along fine. Then we confirmed our meeting norms via a fist of five after spending time talking about specific wording of some of the norms. (Teachers are a picky lot).

Next we reviewed what I had been taught in college about how to set up a solid unit geared towards standards, student learning, and assessment. It was so good to get back to that knowledge and to feel like I am going to be growing as a professional with best practice. Basically every unit should revolve around 3 questions: 1) What are the long-term/short-term results of this unit or what is it’s purpose? 2) What is the evidence that the students have obtained those results or what is the assessment? 3) What are the most appropriate learning events for that or what activities will get them there? We then got to spend time working w/2–3 people to create a mini unit. I worked with the ms/HS STEM teacher-Marta and the other HS social studies teacher- Tim to create a unit around knowledgable consumption of food and where it comes from. It was super cool how all 3 of us could use it in our various classrooms and across age groups by varying the activities and assessment to make it appropriate for our students. (Basically we nerded out).

Then to Lunch! God bless Oscar and his lunches. They are so good. There is always meat and salad and rice and I just love them. Also I can use chopsticks now! Well…most of the time… I’m getting better at any rate. We continue to all eat in 20 minutes before spending the last 1/2 hour alone in our various rooms. None of us are used to having an hour for lunch and it shows.

Thursday finished with a presentation by SASS (Student Academic Support Services), about what they do and who they are, before we met in divisions to set up division norms. We did the same process as setting up whole faculty meeting norms but just for the high school teachers. We are using the same norms as our faculty meeting norms plus an extra one for procedures during meetings. We also set up our procedures for meeting. That meeting took a lot of diplomacy and ensuring that everyone’s voice was heard. It’s hard when you don’t know people yet to know how they will take things and I often put my foot in my mouth unintentionally so I was trying to pay strict attention to what I was saying and how I was saying it. Luckily our division lead, Megs, is amazing. She puts everyone at ease and seems to really be just an excellent teacher/person. Then more classroom work/panic time.

That afternoon it was also raining pretty good. Ann, Mo, and I went to dinner at the Green Hanoi where you sit on the floor and then sorta make spring rolls from raw beef that you cook in front of you? It was an adventure. It took about 1 1/2 hours and then we all headed back to the coffee shop to get more work done. Of course instead of working Ann and I spent another 1 -2 hours talking before she left to go home. At which point I actually did get some work done. I had earl grey at about 8:00 that night so I was up until 2am reading on my phone. Which wasn’t great as I had a lot to do on Friday. But c’est la vie!

Friday morning came earlier than I wanted it to. School was taking us out to eat that night and we were going to Immigration that morning so I needed to be dressed somewhat professionally/cute. Accordingly I put on one of my favorite vintage dresses and got a few compliments :) It was still hotter than it has any right to be outside but I think I am finally getting somewhat used to the heat because it didn’t feel that bad walking to work that morning. Upon arriving to work I deposited my bananas on the pot luck table and sat down to check in with home.

I received some surprising and distressing news from my mother and so we had a quick face-time call so they could tell me all about it. Honestly the hardest part about being away from home is moments like that. Knowing that there’s absolutely nothing I can do except express my sympathy via the internet/phone call is hard but at least I can both speak to and see them. That helped put my mind at ease. I also got to finally speak/see my sister which was wonderful. I miss them.

We had a wonderful pot luck breakfast at school that morning that included croissants, bananas, bagels, and SAUSAGE, EGG, AND CHEESE MCMUFFINS! Ya’ll. I love those things an unhealthy amount. Although I do somewhat prefer McGriddles. Anyways I ate a substantial amount for breakfast is what I’m saying. Then all of the new teachers got onto one of our school buses for a drive clear across the city to Immigration. This was the last stop on the way to getting our Alien Registration Cards or green cards. It took about 1/2 hour to drive across the city which is honestly HUGE and sprawling. Upon arriving at Immigration we sat and waited for our appointment time which was 9:50. Hansol, the woman in the office who is in charge of teachers visas etc, helped get us organized and through the process quickly. Basically I sat down, they took my finger prints, and we were done. I assume she did a bunch of other things as she spoke to the officials for a while but I have no idea what she did. All I could think at the time was thank God for Hansol because I could not imagine for a minute doing this by myself. I would be terrified.

Upon getting back to school we had lunch and then met in the auditorium to learn about our grading website which also contains class rosters and the place we put up our lesson plans. This will be a new thing for me. Every Monday morning I have to have my objectives, activities, and assessments + hw in for each class for the week. I’m a little stressed about that tbh because I’m not used to being that organized but also I think it will help so much. Then it was time for a quick meeting with my division to talk about essential questions, socratic seminars, and philosophical chairs. We are all going to focus on the idea of “Identity” and the essential questions it creates during 1st quarter. By the time that was done we had about 1 hour until dinner.

School took us via super-nice-coach-like-school-bus to the NC department store and Ashley’s American grill and salad buffet. We ate a delicious amount of fried “American” food with a Korean twist and Korean portion sizes. I did observe that we again did not do a great job of integrating new teachers + old teachers but that will come in time. Many of the old teachers hadn’t seen each other in 3 months and that requires reunions as well.

Amber, Mo, Ann, Megan, Sarah, her daughter Rosa, and Aimee attempted to go shoe shopping after dinner. We just wanted to check out what was available. Turns out a lot of super expensive, super beautiful shoes. So Amber, Mo, Ann, Megan and I skipped out and went to find something to drink. We received a recommendation from a returning teacher who thought the place had wine. Turns out it didn’t but we had a good time anyways. We talked life, love lives, and just our experiences abroad. It was a really fun night. Then home to sleep before parent orientation/olympics the next day!

This post is like forever long so I’ll spare you my weekend for another post. I am feeling so much more comfortable and also panicked about being here. I’m loving the city and my new friends. I’m terrified for my classes. I hope I figure out what I’m doing with all of them sooner rather than later. I also hope my ARC card comes quickly so I can finally have internet at home. Missing everyone and loving you all.