From Teacher to Mommy!

Now that the secret of our expanding family is out there, I can share that this was why I made the decision to give up my full-time teaching position this year. At the beginning of the summer, I was given a new assignment due to the fact that my school was splitting and I was still low on the seniority list. It was still first grade, just at a different school. However in July when we found out we were expecting, I knew I had to give it up. 

Max and I had always planned that I would stay at home with our kids for the early years, if we could. We're lucky that we are in the position where I don't have to work, so we're sticking to the plan. I didn't want to start a new year at a new school with a classroom full of firsties if I knew that I was going to leave in March and not come back for some years. 

While I'm so incredibly excited to become a full-time mommy, and so happy that I have that privilege, part of me just can't believe that I'm giving up the classroom for a while. Back when I met Max, I had been teaching for a few years and it was already part of my identity. As a single bachelorette, so much of my free time (and spending money!) went to my classrooms. Now that I'm in my 8th year, teaching has become a big part of who I am. We can't even go on vacation without me tying something to state standards and video taping a segment to show my classroom. 

My new part-time position is perfect for me for many reasons, with number one being that it's a great transition out of the classroom. Instead of just stopping work cold turkey, I get a baby step down. In my new job, I work afternoons only so I'm spending half my normal time at school, and my classes rotate so I only see each class just once a week (which is very different from spending all day everyday with one set of kids). 

In addition, it's so much easier (and way less time consuming!) to plan for one day and repeat three times! Working full time I was spending afternoons, evenings and weekends planning and grading, so this break from all that extra work is welcomed - especially during my first trimester when I was also dealing with morning sickness and fatigue. 

Finally, I completely love the content and structure I get to work with now! Each day is seriously so much fun! My second graders mostly study classical composers. Last week we learned about Vivaldi!

We listened to The Four Seasons and drew pictures of what we heard and saw. I can't wait for baby to begin to hear outside noises (I think that's 20-24 weeks along?) so baby will begin to learn about classical music, too! 

My kinders and firsties get to march, use rhythm sticks, and learn sight word songs. Here are the kinders on a sight word hunt highlighting the sight word he on their copies of the song. 

For the sight word songs, I use this incredible book: 

It was actually written by a teacher at my old school in California! I've used it for the past two years in my kinder and first grade classrooms, and it's so much fun to introduce the songs to a new school! The songs are catchy (the kids will start singing them all on their own!) and the accompanying books are a great way to reinforce the new content. 

I'm cherishing these last months as a teacher, but can't wait for my next title of Mommy!