Advice

I am a newly hired NYC teacher. I have emailed my principal, psychologist, payroll person but I get very little info. They have said see you Sept 4th. I asked about setting up my classroom and they said they would get back to me. I have no idea about my students or the exact location of the school. I do not know if I need a physical. What should I do? I'm panicking!

Thanks

Re: Advice

I don't think you need a physical, for starters. I didn't. They sent me a form, wanted $15 bucks to file it, I threw it out. Right now, if memory serves me, they are getting ready to give the summer school tests and are probably busy.

Not all principals want teachers in the school before the 4th. I think there are liability concerns and in my school the janitorial staff said we were in the way.

Try calling if you don't get an email back. I learned that a lot of my former DOE colleagues were real luddites and never looked at their emails. You still have several weeks. Good luck!

Re: Advice

I've been with the DOE a little over a year and I was never asked to get a physical, so don't worry about that.

I have learned that with the DOE you need to be proactive. While every principal is different, the DOE in general will not offer you the information you need - you have to seek it out. I would ask if there is a way you can at least visit the school beforehand. Try calling if emailing is not helping.

If they are really not responding to you, map it out on google and maybe take a trial run there so you know exactly where it is, how long the ride is, and what the parking situation is before we go back that Tuesday. Just knowing that will help with your nerves.

I was hired on a Wednesday, mid year, and started on the next Monday. I had been to the school for the interview and demo and I did come in on the Friday before for a few hours and spent time with a colleague getting acquainted with everything. However, the teacher I was replacing was packing up, so I wasn't able to do anything in my classroom at all.

So, if it makes you feel any better, I walked in on a Monday to a bare classroom, knowing very little about the school and nothing at all about my rosters. Plus it was mid year, so I was the only one starting new and experiencing the nerves that go along with that.

Good luck and FM me with any questions. If I can't answer them, I can probably commiserate.

Re: Advice

Thank you all so much! I.m so nervous about this. I have been supervising for awhile but am going back to teaching so I'm nervous. I really appreciate all your help.

Re: Advice

Is this your first teaching job? I believe that you are supposed to have a mentor then. Do you know who that would be?

Seems lie you will have 2 days before the students come in? I would just get things as prepared as you can now and then be ready to spend all day (into afternoon/evening) on Tues/Wed getting the room ready.

Re: Advice

Give it a couple of weeks and call the principal. is she a 12 month principal? meaning is she in the building all summer? they usually take some vacation too during the summer so she may have been away. but based on my school and those i know at other city schools, most principals allow teachers to go in the week before school starts to set up their rooms. in the meantime i would travel there and check out the area. it will probably ease your mind a little. as for the kids, you probably won't get any info other than names if you asked now anyway so don't sweat it. you will get to that the first week and take it one day at a time.