Will it always be this way?

The school year begins tomorrow, and classes the next day. I've been sitting at my desk all day trying to work through some preparation issues and wondering how I ever managed to do this job last year. At times I panic, thinking I'm bound to fail and that I'll be swamped - afterall I only taugh parttime last year and fulltime just must be much harder? Who knows. Katrina keeps telling me I'll be fine and that she found it hard to imagine studying while teaching as I managed to do.

I have been thinking about my year 12 English class and worrying about giving these kids the best opportunity I can; about fitting (cramming) everything in; about this new VASS position I have been given and wondering how (and what) I'm supposed to be doing.

I have enjoyed reading the assigned novels for this year - but I would have liked to have read them a couple more times - of course I will have a chance to do this throughout the year, but it would have given some small comfort to have had this at least under my preparation belt before beginning. Just by way of reminding myself what they are, here's the list:

Year 12 Text List
1. Stolen (Jane Harrison) - play text
2. Gattaca (Andrew Niccol) - film text
3. Girl With A Pearl Earring (Tracy Chevalier) (new text for 2004)
4. Triage (Scott Anderson)

Year 11 Text List
1. Maestro (Peter Goldsworthy) (new for 04)
2. Billy Elliot (Stephen Daldry) - film text
3. The Divine Wind (Garry Disher) (new for 04)
4. Macbeth

I think this is a fairly interesting list and I'm looking forward to arguing the pleasures of Chevalier with some bogan y11 and y12 boys.