They Moved My Cheese!

     The anxiety monster has reared its ugly head again.  Today I went to the Pre-K office to pick up "the box" as directed.  In it was a bunch of things for my classroom like tissue and hand soap and the kids' toothbrushes.  It also contained The Roster.  Twenty little names that will probably never escape my memory of this first year in a new department.  In addition to knowing absolutely nothing about the curriculum or how my room should be set up, I now get to figure out how to wrangle sixteen little boys and four little girls every day.  Sixteen boys.  My goodness.  Sam has a friend over for a few days and I have barely survived the first twenty-four hours of two boys' combined energy.  I cannot imagine what sixteen is going to sound like.
     I have taught Visual Arts at Greensboro for fifteen years and am so grateful that I am not having to change schools like some other teachers are.  Due to financial cut-backs, Art and Music have been removed from the elementary schools in Gadsden county.  Most teachers of those subjects are on annual contract so we are being re-assigned to others areas in which we hold certification, which is how I got to be the new Pre-K teacher.  Our school is a wonderful place to work and learn and we have received our fourth rating of "A" in a row.  Enrollment is to capacity so we have finally qualified to have a second Pre-K class.
     My principal has agreed to let me keep my fabulous art room rather than assign me to the dumpy old portable closer to our other Pre-K class.  Another blessing that I am truly grateful for.  I think he got concerned after my freak-out when he mentioned that he might be moving me.  He referred to my classroom as my ecosystem because I am so attached to it!  It is huge space with four floor-to-ceiling windows, a walk-in closet, a large office and a restroom.  There is also a gigantic storage room with a washer and dryer and utility sink.  The room was originally built for the high school Home Economics class so it also has four kitchens with sinks, cabinets and tons of counter space.  It is a dream room for a teacher with a penchant for saving things!  It was perfect for making banners and the hundreds of May Day costumes I have done over the years and it will be fabulous for a class of twenty small, energetic children.
     This week I will have a couple of workshops and a parent orientation and tonight I will read through all the documents from The Box so that I will at least be familiar with the lingo.  The staff at the Pre-K office are really nice and want to be helpful so that will make it easier when I start calling them with questions every half hour.  My teacher friends are very encouraging and have no doubt I will be fine and I know that after I adjust I will be very happy.  I don't handle change well, but have gotten used to the idea.  I will have an aide and the kids get nap-time after lunch so it is not like it is going to be a tough gig.  I have just been spoiled by having a kid-free lunch break, no worries about anyone missing the bus and a different group of kids every forty-five minutes.
     The "Who Moved My Cheese?" story reminds us that we can't just sit back and watch our lives happen.  We must constantly change and adapt to what life throws us.  The older I get the more I like to sit, but now I have twenty more mice moving the cheese around!