Teacher Nightmares

I have obviously not blogged in a long time. I didn't have a reliable internet connection for the last few months that I was in England and was traveling a lot so I haven't been able to blog until now. I had a lot of visitors my last few weeks in the country and it was SUPER fun but I am really glad to be home.

I am beginning to start thinking about the upcoming school year and my new teaching opportunity at the International School of Düsseldorf in Germany. And, as I reflect upon my nightmare of an experience at my English school and look forward to my new position, the dreams have started. I have always been the type of person who has dreams about things that I am thinking about or am anxious about. I always knew that it was time to go to camp at the end of every school year when my camp dreams began! And now, I have started to have crazy dreams about school.

Dream #1:
It was the first day of school in a new school. Not sure what school or what country. But, I was trying to teach the kids my quiet signal (oh, by the way, I was also not wearing pants and was trying to make my long shirt look like a dress!) and there were like 6 adults in my room. Since I was at a new school, I didn't know if the adults were paraprofessionals or what in the heck they were. But, as I was trying to teach my quiet signal they (the adults) were being really loud. So, I went over to their table and they had all the kids singing Jimmy Buffet songs so that I coudln't teach my signal. Then, all the kids busted out in Jimmy Buffet singing and I lost control of the class.

Since I have already had my worst teaching nightmares from back in teacher school come true- losing complete control of a class- I know what that feels like in real life. I just don't think that will be a worry anymore at my new school. Plus, I don't have to teach snotty high school kids anymore, just sweet middle school kids who are generally quite pliable!

Dream #2:
In my dream I had to share a classroom with another teacher, who I think might have been a French teacher. On one end of the classroom there was a white board, a projector, and an overhead. At the back of the classroom was an old school blackboard with French writing all over it. I came in to teach in that classroom one day and all the desks were turned toward the back of the room. I was trying to write on the old school blackboard but wasn't allowed to erase anything so I had to just write really really small with colored chalk. I was really stressed that I was going to lose control of the classroom because the kids couldn't read what I was writing on the board!


OI VAY! Think I am having some anxiety??? At least I am being sent to a training in Atlanta next week and then have 9 days of staff training before school starts. That will definitely alleviate some anxiety. I REALLY enjoy over-preparation!

Nicole was my first visitor. We toured the Scottish Highlands and London.

Gordon was my second visitor and we toured Wales and then London.

Natalie was my third and final visitor and we went to London and Paris and then flew home together.