PD

Today was my first contract day, and my first day of Professional Development. I learned last week that since I am only half time, I technically do not need to stay for the full day. I could leave at noon. While this is something I could do, I did not think it is something I should do. Definitely not at this point in the year and my teaching career.
The day started with two hours at Madison and I was able to get a set of keys and my ID. All the people at FOCUS get a key to everyone else's room and a front door key. I tried my keys and realized I had keys to every room except my own. I spent an hour or so getting into my room from the adjacent computer lab. The computer lab is only separated from my room my a collapsible wall which is currently open. Later I was able to go back to the main office and correct this.
In my room I have some tables, not enough, and a handful of math texts. Not enough to give one to everyone in any of my classes, and none of the textbooks that the district has adopted for what I am going to teach. So my plan for tomorrow is to either locate some textbooks, or figure out how to order some.
The main part of the PD was at the Meek campus (ten minute drive away). The focus for this year is WAD/WID. Teachers love acronyms. Writing Across the Curriculum, and Writing In the Discipline. It seemed useful, and I was able to meet one of the math teachers at Meek who has been working to get the math curriculum in alignment with the standards. I will be meeting with her tomorrow to get a lot of wonderful information.
My current dilemma is about my teaching. The curriculum we have for math is the College Prepratory Math (CPM). This is a curriculum that guides students through figuring out the main concepts by themselves. I was able to observe this in action for Geometry last year in Tualatin where I did my observations. In the other Alliance schools students just work until they have done enough to receive a quarter credit. For math this means they work through about two chapters, pass a couple of quizes and a test. At FOCUS we have ten 18 day blocks. Some students come in with partial credit in math, and there is no guarantee that any student will stay in math for consecutive blocks. This could lend itself very easily to teaching math in the same way. However, then I feel like I am simply baby sitting students doing a workbook. However it is hard to teach math in 18 day chunks when you have a constantly changing group of students. I am not sure whether I will be able to insure a consistent class. Any feedback or comments on this issue would be welcome.