Back to School

The culture shock is real! It’s been 5 years since I’ve taught at an American public school, and man, has it been a rude awakening stepping back into this role. 

You know the episode of 30 Rock, where Jack Donaghy leaves the corporate world of GE to go work for the Government? He points out a leak in the roof and they say, “There’s no leak. We did a study.” They have no pens and when they finally order some, they open the box to find only pen caps. It’s understaffed, disorganized, and literally falling apart.

Coming back from the education world in Tunisia and the Netherlands, I’m feeling a bit like Jack Donaghy right about now. Overseas, my classroom had a couch, laps desks, technology, school supplies, seat sacks, boxes, plenty of furniture, and a huge classroom library that I didn’t provide. I spent less than $20 on bulletin board decor and I was ready to go.

In comparison, I walked into my new classroom this summer and it was barren. No bookshelf, no hanging file folders in the filing cabinet, no student whiteboards, no seat sacks, no student mailboxes, no boxes for organization, no books, no decor, no timers, no markers or pens. Each student gets one paper folder and is bringing one spiral notebook. How in the world am I supposed to get through the school year with one folder and one notebook? Last week, I was also told I must have a “cozy corner” in my room for students with a comfy chair, fidgets, and posters. Who’s paying for that? Me, I guess…

Do we ask nurses to pay for medicine and bandages for their patients? Do we ask IT techs to pay for their own computers? Do we ask firefighters to provide their own ladder and hose? No, we don’t. And yet, no one blinks an eye when teachers are asked to shell out hundreds of dollars to make their rooms functional and aesthetically pleasing. I’ve already spent close to $500 on my classroom and that’s just to get it up and running- nothing fancy. I bought table caddies, plastic boxes for storage, books, a rolling cart, a dry erase calendar, bulletin border, student mailboxes, seat sacks, desk organization, a bookshelf, hanging file folders, push pins, sharpies, and a laptop bag. The school didn’t provide any of the things I assumed were basic necessities.  And now, I guess I’m on the lookout for a comfy chair for my cozy corner.

I wish the lack of funding was my only issue, but unfortunately, there’s more. I am on a team of three and all three of us are new to the district. We also have a new interim principal. I was supposed to be assigned a mentor teacher to help answer questions, but that hasn’t happened yet. The building is also supposed to have a learning coach. Do we have one? Again- no. I send emails asking questions and they go unanswered. My roster has changed multiple times. The schedule changes daily. I print out my class name tags and schedule again and again, just to throw them in the recycling bin every time because we can’t seem to pin it down. I don’t currently have access to the online reading curriculum and the student handwriting workbooks are useless because they are too advanced. I sit through Professional Development training sessions and meetings that don’t actually tell me anything I need to know. My list of questions just grows and grows. For example, on Friday, I realized I didn’t even know where the playground was. No one had ever shown me. I don’t know what dismissal looks like or a fire drill or how to do lunch count or use my TV or how to implement their discipline policy. And did I mention, I’m meeting students and parents tomorrow…

But here’s the deal. I want this. Through all the frustration, I am excited. I can’t wait to meet my kids. As the superintendent said during our new teacher orientation, “This job has never been harder, but it has also never been more important.” I got to see the other side of teaching. After 12 years in the classroom, I took 2 years off. At first, it was amazing. I could go to the bathroom whenever I wanted. I didn’t think about work at the end of the day. If I was sick, I didn’t have to write sub plans. I was well rested and fairly stress-free. But it took a toll on me in other ways. I didn’t feel creative anymore. I wasn’t problem-solving and using my brain in the same way. I wasn’t emotionally connecting with coworkers or students. I didn’t have interesting stories anymore. And the thing that bothered me the most was that I didn’t feel like I was making a difference in the world. I missed teaching. I missed human connection and creativity.

So here I am, back in the American public school system. There’s little to no money. There’s little to no support. The kids have high needs academically, emotionally, and socially. The kids I’m teaching this year, missed out on their Kindergarten year due to Covid. But we are going to get through it together. We’ll form our little classroom family. I’ll share my favorite books with them. I’ll listen to their stories. We’ll laugh and dance and play together. Maybe someday, we’ll even get that cozy corner figured out! It will be messy and human and difficult and wonderful. 

Reach out to the teachers you know and send them your words of encouragement (or maybe some cash!). They have been working long nights and weekends to get ready for this school year. And wish me luck getting over my culture shock and getting back in the groove of being an American teacher. Deep breaths. We’ve got this!