Just Relax.

Relax. That's Kath's job these days. Finally, no to-do lists, nothing to do, really, but relax. There are three weeks until new teacher orientation begins, so I've been looking forward to this time, but how do I relax? I don't know the last time I haven't had things to do. So I've been reading magazines and planning our home layout and decor. This has been incredibly fun.

We stopped by my school this week. The word that comes to mind is "barrio," which is Spanish for "neighborhood." Just before school let out for the summer, I went with the seventh graders to Pilsen, a Spanish neighborhood on the west side of Chicago. The neighborhood around my school is much like that. All the stores have Spanish names, and the houses are run down and, well, just different from Northfield, Illinois, where CHA was nestled. I was scared.

But on Friday we stopped by to get a tour. The facility, once you get past the tall fence, is nice. I'll be teaching seventh grade (previously it was going to be sixth- I prefer seventh) and I have one and a half different classes to prepare for (preps). I'm used to three to five preps a day, so having a regular seventh grade math and an honors class is a treat for me! I'll have five regular classes and two honors classes. And the class size right now is at sixteen!!! That's much better than I was expecting. My room is air-conditioned and big, with a whiteboard and chalkboard, television and overhead. It's going to be nice.