Lesson of the Day

After several days of frigid weather where I have not left home, today I had a sub job scheduled for a half day.  This was a repeat job where I was requested.  It is at a good school and it is a fun class and I was looking forward to subbing  as it would be my first sub job of the new year.

The only anxiety I felt was the forecast of light snow and freezing drizzle--making for slippery roads.  I got up a little early and planned to add minutes to the short commute in case of bad roads.

I gathered my things, went to the garage and got in my car to leave at 7:20 am. I had to be there by 7:50 am and it was maybe 10 minutes away on a good day.

BUT my car would not start.   The battery was dead.  I had left no light on.  The doors were not left open.  It is a newer car.  But the battery had failed me.  What was I to do???  I had to be at the school in less than 30 minutes and I can't get the car to start.

If I were working as a teacher --I would call up a friend or co-worker and ask for a ride.  But there is no co-worker here.  I have no one's number to call for a ride.  My neighbors are nowhere to be seen.  I could call other friends, but they either have to get to their jobs and helping me jump my car would make them late or they live far enough away from me that it would take 15-20 minutes for them to even get to my home.

I called the school and told the principal about my car failure. I apologized for the trouble this would cause.  I then called the sub office and asked them to find a replacement sub for me and gave them the reason so they wouldn't think I was just blowing the job off.

Eventually when I was able to get someone to help, it took 3 jumps to get my car to get going!  I think the combination of the below zero temperatures and the fact that I had not driven it in about a week caused the battery to freeze up or to lose its charge.  I made sure that it got charged up today so I won't find myself in this position again.

Later I emailed both the teacher and the principal to apologize for any inconvenience ( I am sure my replacement sub had to get there after the starting time).  I heard back from both of them. I want to be sure that my relationship with them continues to build in a positive way.

Today's Lesson Learned:  Always start your car every day regardless of your plans to go out or not.

Do you have a Plan B to get to work? 
   

In the Hands of a Few

A nearby little town held their school board meeting last night.  On the agenda was whether they are going to renew the contract for next year of the elementary principal.

Parents in the town are upset and determined to have a voice.  They have ascended upon the meeting. 
According to one mother, "I just want to have the information for myself, show me the evidence.  I can make up my own mind.  I like this principal, she is the best." 

Later in the evening it was revealed that the superintendent feels the principal did not turn in some paperwork on time last year.  When he asked to see some of it, she was unable to produce it.  Her story is that she did the paperwork as necessary and turned it in to the state as required.  The state has not returned it to her.  

I do not know if the paperwork was done or not.  Frankly, I don't care.  Is that a reason to fire someone?  Especially if that person has a good track record and is well liked in the community?  It  sounds more like a power struggle or a jealousy problem to me. 

This is one thing that irks me in the education field right now.  One person or a few people hold the career of good teachers and administrators in their hands.  If she does get terminated, she will have to move if she wants to stay in her field.  She will also have to have this clouding up any future employment application.  They all ask-- have you ever been asked to leave or not had your contract renewed?   That right there may keep her out of a possible job.  It may close the door. 

 Now this Superintendent could be doing this out of spite, weakness, or malice. 

I don't know how the meeting ended.  I just know that there is a lot of bull --oney  that goes on in the education field right now. 

Let the teachers teach!    

I've got the Answer

Sometimes I wish I could just shut the door on the bureaucracy, the ridiculous mandates, the ever-increasing busywork that is being thrust upon us and JUST TEACH. 

That is way to increase achievement and close any gaps. 

Pressures

I've been feeling some pressure the last month or so.  It could be perceived or it could be real.  It comes in waves.  At times it almost makes me want to just leave and find a place to work where there aren't so many problems--like a prison.   That is supposed to be a joke, but I don't know how far off it is.  Pick up any newspaper and you can find an article about the state of education today. 

Funding?  Cut, slash, cut some more...., increase class sizes until the seams are bursting,  problem kids stay in rooms because there are no behavior alternatives, but you better raise achievement, and the government may just pink slip you before the end of the year-- so even if we promised to pay you for the work you did --sorry.    

You are doing it for the kids, right? You're a teacher.

Even if all these things are happening...just give some slack in some area ....   somewhere.....  

A first

I'm not proud, but today a first happened to me after 9 years of teaching.   The kids actually made me start to cry.  Darn it!  I hate it that it happened!   I am not usually an emotional ball of goo-- but they worked on me all day and wore me down.  My regular hard-hitters were on cue all day and I was deflecting them left and right with the best of them.  The hit I took that left me wavering with watery eyes and a quivery voice came out of right field. It was from one of my good kids.  One of the kids who who generally gives me joy when I teach.    He was mad and thought I was being unfair.  

We had an assembly today that was scheduled during our recess time. The children were upset because assemblies are always scheduled then.  I empathized with them but told them I didn't think it would change.  The assembly finished with about 30 minutes left before school was out for the day.  Our class still had things to pass out and closure to have for the week so we headed back to the room.  However, the other classes in our grade decided to go outside for a recess time.

My class whined and complained all the way to the room.  I considered letting them go out as soon as we got our things passed out, but they continued to whine and complain, and then began to accuse me of being unfair to them.  It didn't bother me at all until my good kid started in on me.  He told me that it is not fair because our class always misses alot of recess. 

I reminded him and the class that just yesterday our class took a double recess ( and only our class--the other classes went inside at the regular time).  He then went on to say that I sit at the computer and check my email and our class misses part of their recess all the time. 

Now I know this is not true.  I never check my email or do any personal things on class time.  In fact, I told the class that I felt I was more than generous with the free time and recess that they had.

I guess I am hurt because they don't realize how much I care and put in to working for them.  How many hours I give for the class.  It is not worth it.  When even my good kids begin to turn against me and take the joy from me, then I might as well stop putting in the time that I do. Maybe I will just do the 40 hours from now on and whatever doesnt get done--oh well.

No more tears for me.     

Next Year Options - 1

I got an email today from the principal I interviewed with last week.  He informed me that the positions that could have been available were going to be filled by the teachers that were faced with a certification change.    If you remember, last week I told you that this school was being downsized by a team of teachers, and yet they had some positions open outside of some of their certification areas.  The teachers had to make a decision to either look for a job within their certification area at another school in the district or take steps to become certified in teh positions the school needed.

Oh well.  I knew it was a long shot anyway.  I thanked the principal again for the opportunity to interview and should anything open up between now and fall to let me know. 

So my options for next year are basically to stay where I am at.  Hopefully the principal won't hold it against me that I am trying to leave. 

 I am still waiting to hear about the ELL grant.  Makes me a little frustrated because the paperwork said the acceptance letters would be mailed February 27 and it is now March 13.  I emailed my contact and asked in a tactful way if  the decisions had been made and I was told they were still waiting on documents.    Very frustrating.  Makes me wonder how wishy washy other parts of the program might be.  

No! No! I won't Go

Usually I am a pretty positive person.  I tend to look for the silver linings.  Nobody wants to be around a Debby Downer.  But lately, I have been feeling pretty negative by some of the stupid decisions made around here. 

Take for instance this....

On Thursday, tucked away in our weekly memo from administration, was the notice that next Tuesday is McTeacher night.  This is fundraiser that McDonald's hosts for local schools.  It is a win-win situation for them.  Neighborhood schools promote a night out at McDonald's, customers tell the server what school they want to support, and McDonald's gives a percentage of the receipts to the schools.

The memo went on to say that each grade level should organize a schedule to cover the 4pm - 8pm evening.  Teachers are expected to meet, greet, and wipe tables off.  Oh yeah--they can also spend their money eat.

This is my frustration:

1. It is Thursday and I am expected to do this on Tuesday.  Anyone ever hear of notice?  My calendar fills up pretty quickly and I already have a full evening on Tuesday. 
2. How is it fair that one grade-level might have 3 sections while another has 4 --not to mention student teachers. 
3. What other profession requires you to work all day and then spend hours being available to wipe tables without compensation. 

I guess I'd rather be asked to volunteer than to be told to do it.  You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  Not that I am comparing teachers to flies.  Well, I am not going to be there.  I already have an  evening full of a meeting (a district one, no less) and book club until 8:45.  Of course, I don't want to put extra work on my colleagues, but I don't think they are able to go either.  Oops!  I guess our grade level won't be represented.  Bow I wonder what backlash we will face, 'cause you know we will.....

Un - called for stress

The weather threatened to get bad on Friday.  Snow and ice were on their way according to the forecasters.  Nevertheless, school began as usual.  I heard rumors that we would let out early, but I had a busy day planned and no time to check email or call the office.  I figured if we were let out, we would find out.

At 11:00, I had the class in the media center doing some research when the media specialist offered to help me make phone calls.  I had no idea what she was talking about.  She reported that school indeed was letting out early and teachers were asked to call all the parents of their children. 

WHAT !?!?!   When did that policy go into effect?   When our time was up in the media center, I herded walked my class back to the room as I strategized how I would make close to 30 calls in the net hour.  I scrapped the next lesson and asked kids to get out a book to read while I looked at my email.   Sure enough, teachers were being asked to call the parents of students who were the oldest in their family at our school.

My stress level increased as I :

1. figured out which students were the oldest at our school
2. figured out how to busy engage the students with something they could do independently until lunch 
3. decided which of the 3 -4 numbers to call for each child ( and wonder if they would be in service)
4. interupted parents at work to tell tehm something they already knew --most had text alerts in place
5. discovered the school phones wouldn't work because the circuits were overloaded with all the teachers calling
6. used up many, many cell phone minutes   ( and also gave out my private cell phone number to parents as I made the calls)
7. wondered if my cell battery would still be charged if my car slipped into a ditch on the way home

I was about 2/3 done when the office called me at least 3 times.  Seems primary teachers were wondering if we had gotten hold of big sister's parents yet.  Ugh!   Also, I had at least 2 parents want to discuss their child's progress when I called.  I promised to get back to them at another time, because I only had 30 minutes to call 10 more parents.

I hope they never do that to us again.