New Job update

Well, 3 weeks ago I started my new job at the child-care facility and I am already wishing I'd never taken the job. I was hired on as a Pre-K assistant teacher, however I spent my first 2 weeks working in the toddler room. These are babies 15-22 months on average. They are moved into this room from infants when they are either walking or need to be exposed to walking children to get them to learn to walk. Needless to say, to me it was a great shock! I had absolutely no experience with kids this age. I had to learn how to change diapers (blech!) and I was washing my hands a hundred times a day. But, I really enjoyed those kids! They were so much fun! Even when they were crying and fussy. The only thing I did not enjoy was the diapering, but now I will be an experienced diaper changer when the time comes.

This last week I started in Pre-K, so now I'm getting used to a whole new set of kids and new teachers. Compared to my experience in the toddler room, Pre-K is not working out so well. The kids want to challenge me and my authority which I have no problem dealing with as a teacher or substitute, but when you have to do things the way the other teacher does things it becomes more complicated. The other teachers have done next to nothing to make me feel welcome in the classroom and have had nothing positive to say about how I am doing. This makes for an unpleasant work environment.

In orientation, they made it sound like we would be well-trained on all the "rules and regulations" they have to follow (which I am still trying to learn, 3 weeks later.) In orientation they also specifically said they would assign us a buddy to be there to ask questions about anything we need help with, like policies and procedures (asking for time off, scheduling, etc.) or where to find supplies/the bathroom/etc. I do not have a buddy so I have had to figure all this stuff out for myself! I guess I have always been spoiled by previous employers.

I don't know what I am working until the day before, so I can't plan anything during the week, including the interview I had last week for a kindergarten position at Aubrey ISD. So, when I had to ask to come in to work at a certain time in one week's time, I got the feeling that it was not appreciated. Well, what am I supposed to do the next time I have an interview?

To top it all off, I have been sick all week with some kind of cold (I hope!) and could not go to the doctor because I feel intimidated about asking to work it into the schedule.

Wow! I feel like I'm ranting, but that's 3 weeks worth of what's happened at work!

However, I thank God for giving me a job at this time! We need the money and jobs are scarce, so He has provided a way for us. I just can't wait until a better opportunity comes along!