Things I have learned about my new school.

1. They don't have the small school system very developed at all. We'll see how that works out.
2. I meet with the kids 84 minutes every day all year long. Hopefully this will make teaching novels easier!
3. The book room is limited. The school has been in existence for only two years so they haven't accumulated very much. Please give money!
4. They highly value professional development. We don't get out early for it weekly like at my last school but it will be much more structured and hopefully useful!
5. I should keep my mouth shut about district lessons/assessments. Some people at this school love 'em and some people hate 'em. Very different than my last school's passionate hatred.
6. I think I only have one class that another teacher teaches as well. Unfortunately they are very big on teacher independence, potentially to a fault.
7. IB is what humanitas was at my last school. Yay!
8. I should at max have 120 students! That's practically downright normal. (granted I'll have them in three classes.)

Job Received.

And it's at a great school! Highlights that made me know this could be a great fit:
1. The school is a neighborhood school. They take the people from the area into the school and that's it.
2. When they formed they took democracy to the construction process. The community picked the name, the school colors, the mascot, the colors of the building, AND the students picked out the uniform.
3. They have the same small school model that my last school had. I'll be in the Science and Tech one.
4. They have a 1200 person theater. :)
5. Each teacher has an opportunity to apply for a $5000 grant for a project they want to do in their classroom.
6. This is a school that worked hard to keep their laid off teachers.
7. I can take public transportation to work. :)

Favorite Interview Questions

I went to a really good interview the other day that reminded me of some of my favorite interview questions. They are favorites because they show the school knows a little something about what they believe in. (You'd be surprised at how many schools do "boxed" questions they pulled from the internet)
1. What did you learn last year as a teacher and what will you do differently? (this includes when they ask you about a specific unit that failed)
2. What specific types of strategies will you use to teach writing?
3. Our school is really pushing _____, how do you see yourself contributing to that effort?
4. We notice on your letters of rec that someone says you do _____. Tell us when and in what ways.

I'll let you know Monday how things went.

Top Ten Reasons to visit Lindsay in Nicaragua

1. Public Transportation is cheap. For a couple of dollars you can ride a bus across the nation.
2. The Pitahaya fruit is amazingly delicious in fruit and ice cream form.
3. Nothing like showering with cold water in a bucket to make you appreciate the joys of running hot water.
4. Your Spanish will improve. Even if you currently don't speak any Spanish.
5. Did you play Amazon Trail as a kid? How much cooler is to actually be in a rainforest.
6. They grow Coffee, Sugar and Cacao. Now I don't like Coffee but those other two make up for it.
7. The way they grow corn will blow your mind.
8. There aren't many countries you can go to that had a major revolution just 30 years ago and are currently very safe to visit.
9.When you try to come up with questions for Lindsay, you can ask the ones relevant to her life rather than "um tell me anything at all?"
10. Lindsay's pretty great to hang out with.