Hitting a learning curve

It is amazing how much you rely on your coworkers. I think there is much said about firefighters and police officers and their brotherhood. Teaching is much the same way. We spend more time with kids than some parents, and we spend more time together than we do at our own homes (awake).

This week was a definite transition for me. I went from being a teacher, yet I still think I am, to an administrative type position. I see the nervousness from teachers when I come in to visit. The same nervousness I encountered when I taught. It will be a challenge to develop a trust and help teachers, students, and myself to grow.

I long to see my friends daily, but I am so happy to start this new journey.

It all starts on Tuesday.

It has been a couple of crazy weeks. I accepted my new position over two weeks ago. For the sake of the students, I've been teaching until they find a replacement. I got the official word on Friday that I get to start my new job on Tuesday. So much to do! Much of that includes finding a spot for everything I used in my classroom.

I look forward to this new adventure, but am definitely saddened to leave my coworkers and students.

A New Job, A New School

Over my few years of teaching, starting with when I was first hired, I've learned that nothing is settled in a school until the day school actually starts or sometimes after. I interviewed this week for an instructional specialist job on Thursday and found out late yesterday that I had been picked for it. This summer has really been a transition time for me. I am trying to adjust to the idea that I will no longer have "my kiddos", and that I will now be working with teachers.

I am excited to get started, but sad to pack up my room and leave my friends, colleagues and students. The next few weeks will be bittersweet.

A New Day Dawns

I spent the day at my school today going over rules and procedures and how to's. It occured to me that over the next few weeks, several teachers will need to be reminded, or go back to their notes, on what is the expectation. With that, I thought, how do we expect our kids to know it in one day?

Expectations must be taught, retaught, and modeled on a regular basis. I sat in a training one time and the trainer said, if you think kids should know how to take care of a bathroom, spend some time in a bathroom at a professional ball game. Adults don't follow their own expectations.

So I set a new goal for myself today. My expectations will not be drilled and killed, but an ungoing lesson. I hope it works.

This is my first blogpost so I hope that it works!