New school year, new job title

It's official. I'm a 4th grade teacher. I am so excited about the upcoming school year. This week, I took the first step in making the transition. Different grade levels in our school occupy different halls. Our halls are named after different Ivy League schools. Last year, I was on the fifth grade hall, which is Stanford.

Goodbye Stanford..

Yesterday I journeyed to my new fourth grade hall...

Hello Harvard!

Harvard here I come!!!!
I opened the door to my new classroom and here is what I was greeted with...

The front of my classroom

Left side of class

Side view 

Talk about a blank slate. Now the fun begins. Our school theme is SMILES and we have to incorporate smiley faces into our design. I have also decided to use chevron patterns with an emphasis on the color teal. I will be doing a lot of rearranging to maximize space. The room is pretty big so I'm excited to see what I come up with. Stay tuned for the outcome.

Back to Blogging

I've decided to reenter the blogging world. Things were way too hectic in my life and blogging took a backseat but...I'M BACK!! I currently hold the position of a K-5 Special Education teacher but I have been offered opportunity to teach 4th grade this upcoming school year. My decision on this proposition will take place within the next 2 days and I am very excited and optimistic about the upcoming year. I enjoy my school and the colleagues that I get to interact with on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to sharing information about my trials and tribulations in the classroom and I will work hard to keep this blog updated weekly.
Option #1 involves remaining a special educator and continuing to service those with disabilities. It entails Individualized Education Plans (IEP) meetings, charting IEP goals for each individual student, reteaching and testing students in various grade levels in ALL subject areas, co-teaching Math and English/Language Arts (ELA)  and communicating effectively with different teachers to ensure that my students are receiving the proper services that they deserve.
Option #2 involves teaching and assessing all subject areas in the 4th grade curriculum while only being responsible for planning two subjects (Science and Social Studies). I will be working with a team (colleagues whom I have previously worked well with) to plan and tailor lessons for all 4th grade students. I will be responsible for molding and shaping students who are required to pass statewide assessments. I will have a class of about 14-15 students and I will be allowed to incorporate character education into my classroom as I see fit.
I love teaching in general  and either position will be a great one but it all comes down to which position I see myself teaching next year. I have been reassured that I will always have a place at my current school and if I choose to return to special education at the end of this year, I will be allowed to do so. The administrators are impressed with my performance and feel that I am the right teacher to take these students where they need to be.
Decisions, decisions....

August, New Position, Orientation...OH MY!

It has been too long since I've blogged. My life has been really hectic over the past year. Once again it is August and that only means one thing in the world of an educator....BACK TO SCHOOL.
This year is a little different for me because I'm in a NEW SCHOOL, NEW DISTRICT, and I have a NEW POSITION as an itinerant elementary Special Education Resource teacher. I will service students from 2 different elementary schools.
Today was new teacher orientation and tomorrow is the official day back for teachers. The students will be reporting on Monday. I must say that I am rather antsy and I look forward to meeting my new students on Friday. I am so ready to get my hand on these IEPs.

He's coming, he's coming, Isaac is here...

Isaac has finally hit Louisiana and he looks like he is staying for awhile. Our local schools have been cancelled as we anticipate the storm to move closer in our direction. Guess I'll be catching up on some readings while we wait out the storm. Over 500,000 ppl in the state are without power already and there are reports of people stranded on their roofs in Plaquemines parish. Please keep the people in our state in your prayers.

Go Away Isaac!

Today was DIBELS, DIBELS, and more DIBELS. Louisiana is watching out for Issac and we spent the day checking updates about closures for tomorrow. Most parishes have elected to close while ours has not :( Even the local universities are closing early tomorrow. Keeping our eyes and ears open for news in the am but as of now our district is opened until Wednesday. Shopping for an upcoming hurricane is no joke. People are panicking and the roads are jammed with traffic. I'm exhausted...

Wild about Learning

My first week of student teaching has been great. I am at a small school that only has two sections per grade. My cooperating teacher is wonderful and she was so excited to have a student teacher again. I already feel like a part of the staff because of the warm atmosphere and the friendliness of the faculty and principal.. This is a big difference from the school I previously taught at and I can really get used to this. The theme for the year is:

I'm feeling comfortable in the class already. It's nice and cozy and the kids are great! 

I can see the finish line!

Wow I know I haven't blogged in forever but I have been extremely busy and on top of that I was ill. I have been through so much in this short time. I finished off the year with my fifth graders and aced all my graduate courses. At the end of the year I learned that there was a reduction in force in my district and because I am only working on a Practitioner's license, I was the one who had to go. At the same time I was dealing with health issues (the doctors found a cyst on my left ovary that seemed to be the cause of all my problems and I was in and out of the hospital for treatment) and enrolled in summer graduate courses  It was finally decided that the best solution to my problem would involve a laparoscopic surgery to remove the cyst. The surgery is supposed to be a less invasive procedure and I was told that I could return to my normal activities after a week. My surgery was scheduled for August 7th, which was the earliest date available. When I learned how close the surgery was to the start of the school year, I began to panic. I had no doubts that I could find a job after the school year started but how was I going to pass out resumes and go on interviews while recovering from surgery. One day before my procedure I received a call from my doctor. She informed me that we could not go through with the laparoscopy and she would have to perform a laparotomy instead. My one week of recovery was suddenly changed to 6 WEEKS including overnight stays in the hospital!!!!
Following this new discovery I decided to stop searching for jobs and devote this semester to graduation. This option means that instead of doing a one year semester internship using my Practitioner's license, I will student teach for one semester and graduate in December. By the time student teaching starts I will be halfway through recovery. I will be doing more blogging this semester while I complete my journey in student teaching. I honestly cannot wait to get back into the classroom, I miss it already!

HURRAY State testing is finally over...

I have encountered so much during my first year of teaching. Along with 12 hours of graduate school...That's right, no extra time for anything. This is the last week of grad school so hopefully I'll be able to blog more. My fifth graders have been keeping me busy and we are finally done with testing. May is a time for even more fun activities without a test looming over our heads. One more research paper, one more final, and one more parent conference until Spring 2012 semester is over....

Bogged Down and ready for Mardi Gras

I know that I have not blogged in forever but things have been pretty hectic. On top of starting my first year teaching at a new school in the middle of the year, I have to balance 12 hours of graduate classes. The icing on the cake is that I've gotten sick. Actually I have been seriously ill for the past few months and I failed to realize it until reality struck one day in my classroom last week. I had noticed the weight gain and the nausea and vomiting but I was hoping to put off a hospital visit until the Mardi Gras break. I was forced to leave work early on Tuesday and was out of the classroom for the rest of the week. I returned to work today but I have to return to the hospital for a follow up visit on Wednesday. I am hoping for good news but it's really not looking like I will get it. On top of that I have an IEP Reeval that needs to be done on that same day and my clinic hours start that night in one of my graduate classes. I am trying to hold my head above water but the tide is getting really high. I am also having trouble getting some of my students to complete work in my classroom. Majority of my students come from one classroom and their teacher bad mouths me to her students (they come back and tell me this), I have also witnessed her telling her class that they are lazy and incompetent and that is why they are all failing. I have not said anything about her behavior because I obviously have way too much on my plate to be getting into this right now. I continue to hold my head up and teach on. I refuse to stoop down to her level. I am still enjoying my job and my students. There are a few challenges to overcome but I believe those things will be handled at the appropriate time.

Day 2...Still smiling...

So yesterday was my first day and it went well. Today was even better. Although it was only my second day there I have already learned so much. There are already students that call out my name and tell me hello. My team leader is a very experienced teacher and she happens to be the current Teacher of the Year. I think that is so amazing that I get the chance to learn directly from someone like her. We have already "clicked" and we have discovered that we work well together. We were able to get a lot of work done today and tomorrow I get to start following my new schedule. I am replacing a teacher who has been promoted to Curriculum Coordinator so I have a ready made classroom. I will only be making a few changes but that is it. She is sharing ALL of her stuff with me (she has taught over 15 years so I know there are a lot of cool things that I will discover in her cache of things). We have also "clicked" and we have a similar personality and work ethic. I am truly honored to be working with my new Principal, Curriculum Coordinator, and Team Leader. They are all strong, positive women that I can look up to and learn tons from.
Tomorrow is the first day of classes for the Spring 2012 semester of grad school. I am not looking forward to those long Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Oh yeah, did I mention that I am still packing for the move....

Currently...my first day

Today I took a trip back to elementary school as the new 5th grade Resource Teacher. I had a great day and I look forward to my new role. Looks like I have finally found the place for me....
I have decided to join the linky party at Oh' Boy 4th Grade. Hopefully I will get lucky and win one of those lovely pencil sharpeners. Head on over and link up!

2012 = New Beginnings

So 2012 is finally here and I am so excited. I will be starting my new job on Monday and my second semester of Grad school begins on Wednesday. Bring on the sleepless nights.... I'm going to try to keep it with this blog and write more about my teaching journeys. My time as a middle school teacher was short-lived but I am thankful that I was given that opportunity. Next week marks my return to ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! That's right...I'm going back and I'm ecstatic! I finally landed a job in the district that I've been praying to get into. I am the new Special Education Resource Teacher for grades 5/6. I have thoroughly enjoyed my break but I am ready to get into some type of routine before I get too lazy. This is a year of new beginnings for me and I'm ready to make the most of it.  Did I mention I have always wanted to be a resource teacher? Back to enjoying my weekend. Apartment hunting in the morning...

Farewell Fall 2011

This has been one crazy semester but it is finally over. I have officially taken my last final and turned in my last paper. One semester of Grad school is over and behind me. How has middle school been going? Well that is a totally different subject. Let's just say I was lured in and hired under false pretenses and I am not one bit happy about it. Luckily I didn't sign any contracts and I am free to walk. I really despise being deceived. I was told that the teacher had taken a medical leave and would be gone until at LEAST March and there was a big possibility that she wouldn't return for the rest of the school year. I was told I would be getting paid one amount and then later I found out that this was a discrepancy and I would actually be getting paid less (I decided to ignore this minor issue and continue anyway). I was also told that they were not just looking for a substitute teacher but a certified teacher who could construct lesson plans, guide paraprofessionals, work on IEPs and lead instruction. I was so excited to be able to construct and implement my plans and eagerly planned things. I observed the students and the paras and familiarized myself with what had been going on. First warning sign....Where were the IEPs? I was told that the teacher had all this information at home and they would be contacting her to get it. (She had already been on leave for 2 whole months by this time). Second warning...all the students did was work on worksheets with help from the paras (that was ok, I was already brainstorming unique ideas to get them up and working on hands on activities). Third warning....Me to para: I notice that they are all working on the same worksheets, do they ever do work catered to their own ability but different from the other? Para (blank stare): no we always do the same exact worksheets for everyone but we just differentiate certain instructions. I don't think they should do different work....
Fourth warning..the principal tells me hey we were wrong Ms. So-and-so won't be out all year, in fact she won't even be out until March. She has decided to return in January...
Do you want to know the last and final warning? The warning that burst the bubble...Ok here goes....
I get called into the principal's office and here is what he said....wait for it.... He wanted to clarify my role in the classroom. Since Ms. So-and-so is coming back sooner than we thought, I really don't have to do a thing. He wants me to sit back and let the paras teach and instruct as I observe them (observe, what is this college? And excuse me, did he say observe the paras? my turn to use the blank stare). I should also do whatever the paras think I should do. Also although he wants me to relinquish control to the paras, if anything goes wrong I am the one who will be blamed (yeah he actually said that)
So basically I am the teacher on paper yet I am expected to perform the duties of a paraprofessional and observe and take orders from the other paras since "they have been there all year and know how things should run"
I am still shocked and I honestly don't know what to think but I do know that this is not where I want to be. My instincts say RUN and RUN FAST!
BTW I was called by an elementary school principal yesterday and offered the chance to interview for a long-term job there...

Middle School here I come!

It's official. I'm a middle school teacher! Wow I never thought I would say that. I'll be teaching a 6-8 resource/self-contained class. I'm so excited. I have already met my students and TAs but tomorrow will be my first full day in the classroom to get a feel for the students and look at IEPs. Nervous? Why yes I am.

Updates, New Laptop, and Middle School, OH MY!

I have been super busy and haven't had time to update due to problems with my laptop. I am happy to announce that I now have a new laptop, but I'm still super busy. These 12 hours are no joke. I am glad that the semester is almost over. I haven't even had the time to apartment shop so I decided to put that off until the winter break. I have been learning a whole lot in my classes and I am still hoping to be able to put all my knowledge into practice very soon.

I have recently been told that I would make a very good middle school teacher. As a flexible person, I am okay with trying out this new role. The only thing I have to do is sharpen up on my classroom management plan for middle school because I know it it different from elementary. I have experience working with students of all ages and the LEAP test does NOT scare me. I have actually helped a student prepare for the ELA and Math portions of his LEAP test and my techniques proved to be very successful. There appears to be quite a few openings in nearby school districts for Middle School Special Educators. Will I be walking into a middle school sometime soon? Only time will tell...

Currently...

This is the first time that I have ever decided to join a linky party but this one was just too cute to pass up. I'm linking up with Oh' Boy 4th Grade for her October linky party.

Feedback

Thinking about updating my blog and making it more visible. I usually just like to come here and talk for my own benefit without feedback from a lot of people. My Facebook and Twitter are overrun with comments from hundreds of friends everyday but this blog is for me. Maybe I will increase its visibility in the near future. All it will take is a link on either my FB or Twitter page but I don't think I'm ready for that yet. This is my little safe  haven for now. I love to come here and not see 1,000+ followers. It's my yoga on the internet.
On another note.........one of my classes requires us to participate in a forum. Not only do we have to answer the professor's original questions, but we also have to respond to 5 of our classmates. Really??? 5 times? It just seems a little like overkill to me..GRRRR....

A Sense of Peace

Wow this semester is certainly keeping me busy. I have decided to halt the search for a teaching job and focus on my graduate studies for now. I am regularly substituting but I can always choose my own days off. I am taking 12 hours of graduate courses (yeah that's a lot, or so I've heard...) and I have recently started taking yoga classes. Yoga has turned out to be really relaxing and I am really enjoying it. I will be satisfied until I have comfortably mastered the pose below :)

I am very happy with the way things are going right now. I cannot remember the last time that I have felt this type of peace.

My current routine:

I'm usually subbing at the same schools, so I am well known by staff and students around the campuses that I do frequent. I am very interested in all of the classes that I am taking and I feel like I will learn a whole lot through this program. I have started yoga and have finally started working out regularly and it feels great.

Things to do:

I still have yet to find a place in my new city. I currently live 45 minutes away from where I attend school and work and I cannot wait until I can move closer and get settled.

I am looking for a topic in special education to research for one of my classes. (possibly comparing the different ways that 3-4 states are implementing RTi and recording their success or lack of success with the program)

Farewell Summer...

August signifies the ending of the summer and the beginning of a new journey for me. This month I will be starting the MAT program in Special Education at the University of Louisiana. I was previously enrolled in an Alternative Certification program but because of unforeseen circumstances I was forced to quit that program. I am happy to be able to continue my studies. This time of the year is also pretty nerve wracking because of the fact that I only have a Practitioner's teaching license. This means I have to wait for a last minute job opening. I have a lot of experience and good references so I'm confident about my chances of getting hired for a full time position. 14 more days until the school year starts and 21 more days until my graduate career begins. I'm so excited.

July Update

I have had a looooong month but thankfully it is almost over. The GRE test no longer hangs over my head and I am proud to say that I did very well on it. I not only made higher than what I needed but I also exceeded my own expectations. I am keeping up with the reading of The Book Whisperer and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I am also enjoying my new found hobby of blogging and using the website Pinterest. I am sad to say that one of my favorite blogs has apparently been shut down. I loved reading Apple and Pencil Skirts and I will definitely miss it. I hope she comes back to the blogging world :(