Back to School for Mom Too!

This week I went back to school.  As a full-time teacher.
In the spring, when I was praying for direction I had a clear impression that I needed to be prepared to teach 5th grade.  And I was excited about the idea because it looked like there would be a part-time fifth grade CSR (or classroom support something-or-other).  That would be perfect!  But only perfect for me.  It meant that there would be one 5th grade, one 6th grade, and a 5/6th split.  All with well over 30 kids.  Huge classes are terrible for kids.  And a split makes life so much more complicated for kids and teachers.
So, when the district agreed to give our school one more 5th grade class so that there would be 4 classes of 25 each, I cheered.  And cried a little inside.  That meant if I was going to follow the inspiration I received in the spring, I would be teaching full-time.
The call came last week.  I had the weekend to prepare a lesson plan for my interview.  I had been in kind of a fog that lifted as soon as I started prepping for my lesson.  I felt clear and focused.  I felt excited and energized by the idea of working with students again.
I felt some clarity.
I interviewed on Monday night at 5:00pm.  The biggest barrier was that I don't actually have an elementary education certification.  But in WA, my history and English certs are 5-12 (instead of 6-12 like they are in Utah).  And after my principal talked it over with the HR director, the school board can also approve people to teach out of certification.  So, at 7:15 pm, I got the job.
And I started the next day.
T/W/TH I had teacher meetings and prep time all day.  The kids spent afternoons at the school "helping" me.  (Sometimes they were helpful, sometimes not so much).  But it was nice because when they were done at school they would just walk home.  They spent the mornings at home supposedly working on their "to do" lists.  They were more or less successful with this.  Thankfully, I only have one more teacher work day on Tuesday and then school starts.  We will all be going to school together.
The Back to School BBQ on Thursday was really fun.  I have been in Libby's classroom often.  I know many of the parents and kids.  They were all really excited (or at least pretended to be) that I would be their teacher.  It feels great to be a part of this community.
I still have lots of questions.  But thankfully we have a great instructional coach who can (and is excited to) answer them.  Like how does one go about grading in elementary school?  I do have a rough schedule worked up.  But I am hoping to do a bunch of collaboration with Libby's teacher (yes, she is in the other 5th grade).  So much left to do before students enter the room on Wednesday.  But I feel like (with a lot of divine assistance) I've got this!