The National Day of Prayer is this week. We are taking time to pray for our troops, our country, our families and our marriages. Praying to God about the dire state of marriage in our modern culture is a major one.
OK, do you think I am shooting myself in the foot? Do I really want to work in an environment where the principal has already said as much as she doesn't think I am up for the job and wants a different art teacher?
Ugh, this is what I am facing. I don't have a track record with this woman - got the bomb 2 months after I started working for her.
I was saying good-bye today to the media teacher I've become friends with, and she told me that she is trying to figure out how it can even be feasible to come up with enough practicum hours for her admin cert next year, when she has to work full time. I had a thought on the way home from work, and wrote her this letter... I appreciate any and all feedback:
Quote:
Dear Kathy -
I either had a God breeze or a flash of nonsense (told you I'm not sure which is which right now and I'm letting others with more experience decide!) pop into my head on the way home from work tonight. Don't feel you have to answer here or even in person; I just wanted to throw something out there.
If I wasn't afraid to toss my whole career, being pretty confident that I could do the job as I had always hoped to do... and you need administrative hours...
I wondered if there might be some kismet thing going on, where you might be able to help me set appropriate goals and monitor my attaining them for the remainder of the year into next year...
all while getting the hand-on experience that you needed for your 902.
We could even do some work over the summer to front-load what your requirements are while I finish my grad studies and lay the foundation for work next year. I had planned on getting all of the lessons I developed for the mult-cultural piece down in writing, anyway. I know that one of my major goals would be to reach out beyond my students to their parents and the community more effectively, and will be doing that regardless of where I end up (bulletin boards, volunteers, special projects, etc.) Just wasn't something I had a lot of practice with at Morris Street.
If Helena still doesn't think it is a good fit, I can transfer at the end of next year - the same teacher who put in for it this year puts in for transfers every year so she has the option if she wants to take something new.
One little thing I would pass on to Helena about Donna Benner, would be to ask her what her philosophy is on supporting literacy and numeracy in the classroom. That and the tech pieces are the only issues that I could guess might come up - otherwise, she is an excellent teacher.
I really had no hope of any of this before we talked tonight - I was just saying good-bye to someone who I felt was a friend and had confided with in the past. And, like I said, this could be the LAST thing that you want to consider, let alone Helena, so I'm just kind of throwing it out into the universe to see what is meant to be. I can't say that I'm not a little afraid that this might even fly, as to "what did I get myself into?!" but I didn't want to drop it completely either and later wonder What If... As a former control freak, I have to say that the new go-with-the-flow thing is not all bad. If I don't hear anything of this, I'll just go-with-the-flow to the new schools, no prob!
I do hope that your discussion at WestConn went alright - spotlights are not fun (and I'm editing this to be more professional). See ya manana about the posters...
--Donna
So, if the choice lands back in my lap, should I try again with it next year, or just cut my losses and move on?
(Differences---
Now: I know all of my students and staff members. I have an awesome room in the "problem" building, brand new with a kiln. I helped with the initial order for the room and set it up (its a new building). It is a high-tech building, and I'm a high-tech girl My 5th graders all "messed with" Mona Lisa recently using computer graphics (they were AWESOME!) I also wrote and implemented the multi-cultural arts curriculum, with all of the authentic artifacts from around the world (an in-school museum that I shopped for, which would have to stay there). The other building, which has the tougher students, is only 2 days/week (in a crappy room) - but I also a proven track record there, with admin and staff who have worked with me for almost 10 years - no involved parents, but appreciative kids for the most part. I love all of my kids.
If I Change: Have to learn over 700+ kids, 2 new sets of staff and 2 new admin I've never worked with - a clean slate. Both rooms are older but pretty decent. I won't have the highest and lowest kids in district, but more of middle levels. And the whole, UNKNOWN aspect.
Thoughts...?
((Stupid divorce - I don't think I would even BE in this position if I hadn't lost my mind for a while there with the mess!!!!!!!))
Sara-- That letter was to a media teacher in my building, who I just found out was going for her administrative license. After the last 1+1/2 years since I got the bomb and struggled with the fall-out, things at work haven't always been the priority as I would have made it (to say the least - I actually missed quite a bit of work, being out on leave first for spinal surgery, then for depression). Because I didn't have the track-record with my current admin, she decided that she'd like a new art teacher for next year, "suggesting strongly" that I put in for a transfer.
When I went to say bye to the media teacher, a friend, I discovered that she just signed up for the admin program and was struggling to find a way to fulfill all of her observation and practice hours while still teaching full-time.
I would have very much liked to have stayed at the building where I am at. Major draw-back is sticking myself in a sitch where my boss has already decided that she'd rather have another teacher...
sounds like I'm in the LBS role again, doesn't it?! So, I am trying to be much more DB about it. I had an idea, I put it out there, and I've decided that I will be happy either way this goes - I want to be at a job where I am valued, wanted and respected. I am confident and know that I can do the job (I know the part that I played in her forming her current opinion about me, and I have set goals and taken steps to address that). If she doesn't see my value, it will be her loss and I will just bring my skills to the new buildings. I'm not taking it personally.
My 5th graders all "messed with" Mona Lisa recently using computer graphics (they were AWESOME!) I also wrote and implemented the multi-cultural arts curriculum, with all of the authentic artifacts from around the world (an in-school museum that I shopped for, which would have to stay there).