Completely off the wedding subject: Are any of you teachers?

Sorry if I offended anyone by bringing up another topic :-) Please let me know if I did and I won't continue this thread... My question to any teachers is are you telling your classes that you are getting married? Is that too personal? I'm beginning my first year teaching middle school and will be married in May - I'm debating whether I should tell them in a letter that I am writing to them as an introduction to myself. Any advice appreciated! Thanks!

Completely off the wedding subject: Are any of you teachers?

I was thinking of the same thing. I am a library teacher in an elementary school. I am getting married in February. I don't want to confuse them by changing my name mid year so I think I am going to wait till September 2002 before I fill the kids in on it. By middle school I thing it would be OK but my first year I would not do it in an introduction letter maybe it would be better to tell them later on in the year.

Completely off the wedding subject: Are any of you teachers?

I'm a public librarian, not a teacher, but I also work with the middle school age group and teenagers. I told a few select teens right away and one of them has been actually very helpful with my planning! I think that age group would be very excited if you told them and would feel good that they you 'trusted' them enough to tell them.

I am!

I am a sixth grade teacher, and they all found out last September when we got engaged.I would not write it in a letter. The staff will notice your wearing an engagement ring, and ask you 'when's the big day'.The news will spread on its own. As far as your name goes, I would keep it the same until the next school year. As far as a honeymoon goes in May- I don't know what you have planned, but I wouldn't go away for too long during your first year. Let me know if you have any other questions, and congrats on landing a job! Continued success!

I am!

I agree - I decided not to change my name at school until next year :-) As far as the honeymoon is concerned, we are waiting until the summer to take it. We'll still have something to look forward to after the wedding :-) ! (I'll prob. take off a few days just to wind down though - maybe take a road trip somewhere). Anyway, I'm so excited to start teaching, but I want to get all this planning out of the way so I can actually concentrate during the school year! Thanks for everyone's advice so far!

sara

We were originally going to get married in May, and that was what we were going to do. We were thing of taking a long weekend to New England or even doing something out east. BUT we decided on August so we could go to Italy for two weeks.What grade are you teaching? Have a great time these next few weeks, you'll need this time to relax before September comes!

Heather... (& other teachers feel free to chime in!)

We got engaged in January and I couldn't wait that long (next summer) :-) (plus I just love the month of May, and I didn't have the job when we set the date -although I was assuming I'd have a teaching job this year but didn't want to plan around a job I didn't have yet). I was bummed at first not to be able to take our honeymoon immediately. We'll prob. do what you were thinking and then we plan to go to Greece or Tahiti in July. Ahh, the sacrifices we teachers make! I will be teaching 6th grade English in Queens. What's your subject? Where do you teach? (Any beginning of year pointers ;-) )?

sara

I`m sort of a teacher .. in my spare time, which is non-existant lately, I teach horseback riding to a few select girls who have stuck by me over the years. But anyway, like you, we need to postpone our honeymoon because of my dedication to my job. (Gee, how horrible does that sound??). But I`m actually looking forward to this idea now. We won`t have to get up the next morning and rush off to an airport. We can take our time and go wherever we decide to go .. at our own pace. As for the name thing .. I`m having a bit of a dilemma on this too. So many people have come to know me professionally as I am now, that a name change could be very confusing. I`ve given thought to hyphenating our names, but we both have long last names (mine is 7 letters, his is 8). Now I`m leaning to just changing right after the wedding. Everyone will eventually catch on. :) Good Luck with your decisions. As for the letter thing .. I think you might just be best off talking directly to your students to introduce and tell them about yourself. At that point, in my opinion, I don`t think it would be too personal to mention you`re getting married in May.

me too...

I'm a librarian in an elementary school. When i got engaged, the teachers who knew actually told their classes, and when i met with them in the library, they came in and said congratulations - it was very sweet. Kids are so funny - a week after i got engaged, they were asking me what my new name is (like it changed with the engagement!)I wouldn't put it in a letter either - i would talk to your students about it sometime in October (when everyone is somewhat settled in). What many teachers that i know have done is send a letter home close to your wedding date and invite the students to the ceremony (if you feel close with the class). One teacher i work with did that and the entire class came to the church! I am getting married in December 2002. We did it that way so we only have to wait a week to take our honeymoon during winter recess...good luck on your first year!

I will be one in December

I am finally graduating after many years of full time working and school. I really can`t wait. Hopefully I won't have trouble getting a job. We planned our wedding in August with hopes that I would have gotten a job by then but be off for the summer.

I will be one in December

Wow talk about how dedicated we are to our jobs!! I am getting married in February right before president's week. My principal is thrilled that I will only need about 4 days off. But now I am praying for good weather. What we do for our Jobs!!!!

I will be one in December

Sara, I am a kindergarten teacher, and the day after I got engaged one of my little girls noticed my ring and started yelling 'you're engaged!!!' over and over. The children and their parents were so excited for me, and always asked about how the planning was going. I got married 6 weeks ago and so many of my children and their families came to the church. I was so honored! So,my answer is yes, tell them! I'm glad I did. : )

I am having that same dilema...

This is my first year teaching too. I am teaching fourth grade. I think I will tell after a few weeks of school if no one asks. I am getting married in the summer so I do not have to take any time off in my first year, so my name will not change until next year. It is very overwhelming to plan a weding and to be a teacher (especially a first year teacher.) Good luck to all of my fellow teachers. If you have any advice about teaching I would love to hear it!!!

sara

I taught all subjects last year (I'm in an elementary school), but this year I will be teaching English. We departmentalized over the summer. Tips: 1) don't try to be the students friend.For the first month or so be real strict, don't except any disrespect or attitude(towards you or other classmates). 2) Keep on top of your planning,it will be tough at first. Make sure you get all of your copying done at least 2 days in advance (you never know when the machine will break down!). 3) Create some type of reward system for your students, encourage them to be good citizens. I could go on...if you want to e-mail me w/ any other questions, feel free! I've got some great web sites that could help you out too! [email protected]

Sara

I am a high school math teacher. This year will be my 3rd year. I would suggest not writing it in your letter, but tell them when you intoduce yourself. It is a major part of your life, and the kids (especially the girls) will ove hearing about it, but the parents don't want to see that your priorities are elsewhere. It was very exciting getting engaged in the midde of the year. The kids make it so much more special. Good Luck! I know it is hard planning a wedding and teaching for your first year. Where are you teaching? You can email me if you need anything [email protected]

Sara

I teach high school (9 and 10) and when I got engaged, word spread like wild fire. They all knew before I said anything. I was even speaking to a mother who congratulated me. I say keep using your maiden name until the next school year, they will call you by it anyway. I even had trouble when my boss got married mid year. Being a former NYC teacher, I don't think you will have too much trouble getting a few days off, but I wouldn't dare in LI where I am now...Isn't that sad :(

also a teacher...

Hi..I too am a NYC teacher...fourth grade.......starting my 7th year..oh god!! I have been engaged since Christmas and my class got such a kick out of the whole thing. The parents were also VERY excited!! We are getting married next October and taking our honeymoon then too. I feel a little badly to be taking a week or so off BUT they don't pay me enough for me to feel that badly :)!! Seriously, I adore my principal so I will not take THAT many days BUT I am not waiting until a vacation or summer to go on my honeymoon. As far as writing about your engagement in a letter..I actually think it's kind of cute if you are writing the letter to tell the class about yourself.....not if it is about what supplies they will need. Have a painless new school year guys......Steph