Define "New"

Just finished 3 days of HISD "New" Teacher Training. I've been through 4 of these now! Four! I'm not a 'new' teacher, not even a new librarian but am new to district so I am forced to have propaganda blown up my, er, well, just lots of propaganda. I try to remain cynical at these events but I do have to admit I get a bit teary-eyed with the motivation and focus on helping kids, changing lives, blah-blah.

I looked around the room today and saw a table of clearly fresh from college, young whippersnapper, change-the-world teachers. I was immediately thrown back to my 1st New Teacher Training back in El Paso. When I was a new teacher. When I sat down and met Meaghan and Shannon and Michelle and Jason and we formed our support group of young, energetic, a tad naive, English teachers at Franklin High School. Ah, those were the days. I had to teach in the middle of the library (foreshadowing!) for 1/2 the year and then out in a temp. building the rest. I looked younger than the students, was only a chapter ahead of them in the reading some days, and had enough bravado to not know that I was probably doing a terrible job. Sometimes I miss teaching high school English. Then I remember grading papers....ugh....

So, next week I met my new colleagues at my new school and in a week or so I'll meet my new students. I was the geek that loved to buy new school supplies, new school clothes and find my new locker and manuever my new class schedule. I love school. I am such a dork.