WhhhhhooooooooshAaaaaack!

That's the sound of a big sigh of relief, followed by an equally big freak-out.

Some of my questions from yesterday have been answered. I have a schedule, for instance, and I know that I see my kindergarten classes twice a week and my first and second grade classes once (with the addition of one third grade class and one fourth grade, self-contained, special ed class). I know that the SW on my schedule does not stand for "something writing," as I speculated, but for "schoolwide," apparently in reference to some nebulous schoolwide project that I will be expected to work on during that time (I'm 99% sure that what this actually means is, "Things We Need Someone, Anyone to Do When All the Other Teachers Are Busy With Their Actual Classrooms"). I know that I do not have to take attendance in my first-period classes, or dismiss my last-period classes, or be stationed anywhere during dismissal (which is a pretty sweet deal for later in the year, even if it does make me feel kind of left out right now).

I know that the content of my lessons should focus on the meat and potatoes (read: boring!) details of writing: grammar, punctuation, that sort of thing, although with my school population it might be more like, "Let's practice writing our letters." And I know that the principal has promised me that we will sit down and talk in greater detail about what kind of curriculum I'll be planning (on the one hand, when will we do this? School starts Tuesday! On the other hand, how much did I really think I was going to get done in the first week anyway? I guess I'll just...wing it for a while?).

My biggest, biggest concern right now is materials. As in: I don't have any. As a cluster teacher, I got the impression that my situation is kind of BYOS (Bring Your Own Supplies). The social studies teacher has tons of materials that she pushes around on a cart, and I have squat. Granted, writing is...writing, and all we really need are pencils and paper, but I don't think I'm supposed to steal classroom supplies, I don't know if the kids will have their own supplies, and obviously it's too late to requisition anything for the first week. Should I buy a big dry erase board or chart paper and tote it around with me? Do I need a dorky little cart of my own? How on earth do I get from the main school building to the kindergarten annex down the block when one period ends at the exact same time that the next one starts? Where oh where do I find books to use for Read Aloud? When oh when do I get a key to the staff bathroom?

So, like yesterday, on the one hand: reassured. On the other: FREAKING OUT.