end of summer?

June 15, 2011

Not sure what I expected last week, but what I got kind of threw me off. It is hard not to compare things, and I try to keep in my mind that what my ideal may not be the ideal for the whole world. That being said, I do think the first week of school, or heck even day could have been managed a little bit better.

I showed up, and I guess I thought all the kids would be wearing their uniforms and have full bags of supplies, and the teachers would have fun get to know you activities planned. What I got was a mass of parents, students, and teachers listening to the principal shout out names. They were just finding out their classes. None of the students had book bags. None of them were wearing uniforms. I just stood around in the way.

Once classes were figured out we marched to class and sat, and sat, and sat until recess. Which was a bust; there was no food, which upset all the teachers. Then we went back to the class and MH was called to a meeting to figure out her teaching schedule. I entertained the students asking them questions. MH came back right before lunch, told me Grade 6 would be right after lunch and sent me on my merry way. Got back from lunch and found out Grade 6 wouldn’t be until 2:40. So I sat and waited. Then in Grade 6 not much occurred, and MH actually left to work on the schedule. In the first week of school our schedule was changed 8 times through 3 different options.

The kids took a pretest, and were still working on finishing their oral reading tests. My Grade 5 students, whom I’ve taught just once on a random day last year, busted out amazing paragraphs about their summer break and best friends with just basic grammar mistakes kids their age at home would make. My Grade 6 students who are the same group of kids I had last year were writing long in depth paragraphs about their summer breaks and what they want to be when they grow up.

This cued the personal break down. These kids are smart. Maybe I could be used better somewhere else. I tried to talk to my principal all week about it, but she was not available much. However I did talk to her this week, and I’m not having the what am I doing here thoughts I was having. I’ve arranged a meeting with the principal at the high school to start a sports club. After fiesta I’m meeting with my library committee. I’ve convinced my teacher that I’d be really good at helping grade 5 and 6 remedial readings in the after noon.

This is week two of school, and you know what things are going to be ok.

July 9, 2011

Now we are going into week 6 (wow, how did that even happen?) and things have gotten better. I’ve still been struggling trying to really make the impact I want to make, but we are getting there. Library meetings are being had. I’m meeting with the principal at the high school any day now to get a project going there. I’ve had some good lessons with my students. My idea for a remedial reading program was liked, but nothing has happened since the first couple of pow-wows.