The Lonely Road

In my first week of teaching, I've learned that sometimes it can be a lonely job. It's one thing to be able to talk to your lead teacher- you have a relationship with them, you deal with the same kids, you're working together with lesson planning and figuring things out, etc. I think even when you become a first year teacher at teh same place where you've been doing your student teaching, it's easier because you already have a foundation. You know the routine, you know all the teachers, you know most of the kids already, you feel like there are people who can help you out.

Now, don't get me wrong, I really an enjoying my job so far. I really like the other teachers in my department but I don't feel like I'm at that point yet where I can ask them things. For example, there are a lot of kids who haven't turned their homework in yet, despite their knowledge that they will be attending a program called Friday Follow-Up where they'll be required to stay after school on Friday to complete ALL missing assignments. I have no idea what to do with this. I don't feel like i'm the point hwre I can ask the other teachers what their homework turn-in rate is. What if I'm the only teacher whose kids don't think their homework in? Does that then make me a bad teacher? As Adrian pointed out today, it may jsut be their interest level- who really wants to do homework in seventh and eighth grade? It's nothing to do with me. On the other hand, it would be arelief to know that I'm not the only one who has kids who don't turn their homework in. At what point the do I have to try something new or try and new approach with the homework. I don't feel like I'm close enough to anyone at the school right now to ask them, especially because I feel there's alot of pressure on me as the new teacher. Will they think I'm just a dumb, unexperienced kid and just say "go figure" or will they help me out? I don't know, it sometimes feels like a catch-22. But in all in, it's felt like a very lonely road so far. Hopefully things will work themselves out...