What a couple of weeks it's been. My husband, W, points out that every year I have anxiety about what is going on, that I question what the heck I'm doing, and that things work out. I know that I'm exhausted every September, but this year is not feeling the same.
We have been plagued with technology problems. The school was rewired in August, ready for the fiber optics that are just across the road. I asked our tech folks to move the computers I have in the library to another location, and when that happened, nothing worked! To say that I was shocked was an understatement! It was a relative quick fix when our once-a-week tech guy arrived. Yes, that's right; our tech support is once a week, and the work list he had was huge! There are classrooms that still don't have computer access, and for teachers who use technology the way we breath air, that is very frustrating. Then, no wireless. The room where the hub or router or whatever it is is located got too hot, and melted the wires. Good-by, wireless, and so long three iPads, three Netbooks, and one MacBook. Six devices and one teacher station unavailable unless connected. The part - and tech support - is supposed to arrive on Monday.
My psychology class. It has a totally different feel to it. It's the kind of feeling that causes things like rashes, bumps, and things that require ointments and salves. I was spoiled. I'll be upfront and honest about that. This year, I have the usual mix of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. I also have three kids with IEPs, three boys with eligibility issues, two exchange students with varying degrees of English proficiency, and me, the teacher who is aging rapidly. Kids in tears over being homesick, being frustrated, having anxiety and anger issues - it makes issues such as gum, hats, and I-need-to-listen-to-music-so-I-can-concentrate seem pale in comparison. My usual approach is not working. The quality of written work is all over the place. One girl is a beautiful writer, analytic, articulate. One boy, who is one of the eligibility guys, is brief to the point of writing something akin to a list. Without bullets. Capital letters? Who needs those? Why write a paragraph when it can be done in three very long sentences? Why submit the assignment via the Journal feature of Moodle when it can be emailed to the teacher? Etc. Etc. Etc.
Oh, you poor Mrs. F. I know - get over it, right? I know that's what you're thinking, because honestly, if this wasn't my own post, that's exactly what I would be thinking! This is the stuff we face Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly, Decade-ly (is that even a word?!). I got it. I've been spoiled, or lucky, or something. So now I get to quit whining, go back to the drawing board, figure out how to work with these kids so the content gets through, the communication and collaboration takes place, and we all learn a little something about Psychology and still earn a Social Studies credit that actually means something.
My response to this week was to go to bed early, and get up feeling refreshed. In class, it was to pull over the kick stool and stand on it so I could be taller than the tallest kid as we discussed why I don't want him listening to his music, and yes, we were both smiling. I can make this work!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
2012-2013 is here, ready or not!
Week One of the 2012-2013 school year is in the books. Thankfully, it was a four-day week, but that didn't make it any shorter. For me, the first week, and the first month, if I am honest, are long, long, long. I am always so tired, but that is natural after taking it easy for a couple of months, going on vacation to Jackson, Wyoming, The Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and generally hanging out at home. Suddenly, there is an alarm clock! And coffee waiting for me! And clothes that aren't jeans, yoga pants, or capri pants to put on! I'll admit - the first foray back into pantyhose was unpleasant, but they went with my outfit, so there you go...
Let me start with the positives. We have just had a large (for us) turnover in staff - six new teachers, as well as a new administrator. That is one third of our teaching staff - that is huge! The new teachers are nice people, dedicated, and looking forward to a good year. The vibe is different, and the middle school, where I somehow ended up, is completely changed up, for the better, I think. Our administrator is a man who believes in collaboration, communication, and likes to have fun. He wore jeans to school, which inspired me to buy a new pair, jeans being my preferred bottom. Our collaboration, which had been one giant staff meeting, is going to be truly collaborative. My teaching load has lessened, from three classes to one, and I like the one I'm teaching, which is psychology. My students are nice kids, and their first Moodle posts gave me a glimpse of what's to come. I have double the library time. And I will be eventually monitoring students in an online environment. The online school just happens to be one that I have looked at for future employment. This is a way to see how it all works.
Negatives. I am still kind of struggling with the fact that I am not retired, and won't/can't until 2014. We would like to pay off our house before we both retire, and that will be helped tremendously by my salary. I am hoping that I actually remember how to be a librarian who isn't in two-period-a-day, bare-minimum mode most of the time. I am searching for my enthusiasm. I am sure it will come back, but last week - not so much. Will I remember what to do? Can I entice teachers to utilize me to support their instruction? This is another thing I am struggling with. I am also now a high school teacher. I have technically been one all along, but now without the middle school teaching assignments, I really am one of them, and I am not sure how I feel about that. I suppose all of these things will work themselves out, but right now, I am thinking about them, probably a little bit too much. I tend to do that.
This is my thirty-fifth year in education. I am the certificated person who has been at our school the longest. How did this happen?! I guess it's a question that doesn't need to be answered, because it's another year to teach, interact with kids and staff, and try to be the best teacher-librarian I can be. So, whether I'm ready or not, 2012-2013 is here. Happy New (School) Year!
Let me start with the positives. We have just had a large (for us) turnover in staff - six new teachers, as well as a new administrator. That is one third of our teaching staff - that is huge! The new teachers are nice people, dedicated, and looking forward to a good year. The vibe is different, and the middle school, where I somehow ended up, is completely changed up, for the better, I think. Our administrator is a man who believes in collaboration, communication, and likes to have fun. He wore jeans to school, which inspired me to buy a new pair, jeans being my preferred bottom. Our collaboration, which had been one giant staff meeting, is going to be truly collaborative. My teaching load has lessened, from three classes to one, and I like the one I'm teaching, which is psychology. My students are nice kids, and their first Moodle posts gave me a glimpse of what's to come. I have double the library time. And I will be eventually monitoring students in an online environment. The online school just happens to be one that I have looked at for future employment. This is a way to see how it all works.
Negatives. I am still kind of struggling with the fact that I am not retired, and won't/can't until 2014. We would like to pay off our house before we both retire, and that will be helped tremendously by my salary. I am hoping that I actually remember how to be a librarian who isn't in two-period-a-day, bare-minimum mode most of the time. I am searching for my enthusiasm. I am sure it will come back, but last week - not so much. Will I remember what to do? Can I entice teachers to utilize me to support their instruction? This is another thing I am struggling with. I am also now a high school teacher. I have technically been one all along, but now without the middle school teaching assignments, I really am one of them, and I am not sure how I feel about that. I suppose all of these things will work themselves out, but right now, I am thinking about them, probably a little bit too much. I tend to do that.
This is my thirty-fifth year in education. I am the certificated person who has been at our school the longest. How did this happen?! I guess it's a question that doesn't need to be answered, because it's another year to teach, interact with kids and staff, and try to be the best teacher-librarian I can be. So, whether I'm ready or not, 2012-2013 is here. Happy New (School) Year!
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