5 For Friday

Y'all, this has seriously been the longest week. I have been in my classroom like a total of two half days, Monday-Friday. And guess what? I actually like to teach. It's what I wanted to do when I took this job.And when I'm there, I can make sure my room doesn't have to be rearranged because apparently kids do things like, oh, I don't know... climb halfway out the window (story for another time, my friends) when you aren't watching them and following the set routine and classroom protocol.

I wasn't at school this week partiallu because I was attending a professional development session on Tuesday. It was actually great. Real life lawyers presented on hot topic legal issues that special education programs are facing. Sometimes it is tough being in a non typical sped teaching situation, but in cases where I get to go to super helpful info sessions instead of having to get the info second hand from a district rep, I like it.

I haven't been grocery shopping in two+ weeks. So my lunches at school have been dismal. We are seriously living on like Greek yogurt and whatever take-out leftovers we have from the nights we've gone out to dinner. I thought maybe I would step up my game this weekend and go to the HEB, but then I remembered that we are heading to Htown. Which is still 3 hours away. And it is 9pm. Awesome.

I am going to Houston for a coaching conference because I recently started volunteering to help out the local swim team and when they offered to send me to a really cool conference and hook me up with a hotel downtown... I really couldn't say no. I'm also dragging my boo along because we've spent 4 of the last 4 weekends apart and sometimes we like to spend quality time together. He is going to have SO MUCH FUN doing our taxes while I'm in the sessions tomorrow afternoon. 

 I am really trying to motivate myself to do some fun cutey things with my littles for Easter next week (crafts, dying eggs, some painting maybe?), but you best believe it will mostly depend on how long it takes me to finish up freaking Alt. Which, speaking of, I learned about the changes coming for it today and let me tell you what: extremely standardized. Which I are two sides of: 1) we are supposed to be individualizing like champs, but we want the measure of progress to be the same? That is mildly confusing 2) there does need to be a way to hold teachers accountable- even those who teach LID/Life Skills classes. It truly breaks my heart to see that population pushed to the side. And by "breaks my heart" I mean, pushes me right to the edge and brings out my sassy side. ALL CHILDREN DESERVE TO LEARN. PERIOD. DOT. NO QUESTION. #minirantcomplete

APRIL

Ok, can I just say that Farley is my girl? [or I want her to be]. Seriously. This is the most simple reflection piece and if I actually did it every month, I think it would be sweet to look back on. Also, love that she does this with her class. Um, hello, 4th grade reflective writing. Um, hello, rapport building. 

Um, anyways.

Have I ever mentioned that I have a 45 minute drive to work on a dark, unlit highway (or that I have an elementary school literally a block from my house... another story for another time)? Every morning, I call my lil nug Al and we complain strategize for the upcoming day, since we have kinda matchies jobs. She usually gets to school before I do, so I finish my ride by listening to my boos on the Bobby Bones Show and/or iTunes radio. Then I workworkwork and finish my day pretty much the same way.

Can I just get a hallelujah for Fridays? I am taking a life guard course this weekend, so I will be pretty busy, but at least I get a smidge of a break from s-c-h-o-o-l.

I know it's only April, but I have been thinking about next year for the last couple months and it is starting to get real. I have some kids aging into new settings, so there will be lots of schedule/transition planning over the next few weeks to make sure we at least attempt an appropriate placement for next school year!

STAAR testing is not my boo. Somebody get me into a primary job, STAT. Oh wait... Because I am at a teeny tiny school and I am sassy and kids seem to tolerate me, I get a lot of special jobs. For instance: ALL of the STAAR Alt testing for elementary. For instance: Administering STAAR & STAAR-M to nuggets who probably need a swift kick in the hiney an extra encouraging face to help them remember that they can do their best and this is just a test and it's not a big deal, but please don't sandbag, kthx.

I have been a step counting machine lately. I use a FitBit Force (which I know has been recalled, whatever, I don't have any blisters) and I set my goal at 10,000 per day. I would say I hit the goal about 4 days a week. Also, fun fact, it is quite durable. Just ask my students who use it as a fidget in class when we are singing songs that they don't actually like.

LOL HOURS AND DAY.
First off, I am the kind of person who does well under pressure. Thus, I usually leave my room a hot mess in the afternoon and then magically clean it and set it up for the next day between approximately 7-7:30am. At 7:30am, the lil chica I am tutoring, aka life coaching, comes in and we work on some reading. Then, she leaves at 7:50, and I go outside to start the pick-up process with my PPCD. I think school starts at 8? I'm not sure. I am usually in the cafeteria at that point. My PPCDs leave at 11 & 12:30, and then school technically gets out at 2:50 for some kids, and then the ones who need a little extra loving (aka didn't pass the STAAR last year or didn't pass the benchmarks) stay for mandatory tutoring from 3-3:30.  I think we get out June 6th, maybe? Who the heck knows. I am probably going to get suckered into teaching summer school, so I get out never, maybe?

NAILED IT: post interview part 1

This past summer, I wrote a series of posts about how to interview effectively. You can check them out here. They even got pinned! Woah! I have been really excited to get a few e-mails lately asking for tips, so I got inspired to get my little first-year teacher sized butt (just wait, newbies...*) into gear and reflect on a few more things I wish I'd know about the whole process. Also, I've been able to add a little something to my list of qualifications as a advice-giver:

• joined my principal in interviewing a prospective special education teacher
• participated in the search/interview process for hiring a paraprofessional 
• interviewed for a variety of education and non-education related jobs
• actively participated on interview committees for a youth pastor at my home church, the head swim and dive team coach at my university, and for multiple staffing positions for the mentoring program I worked for in college
• attended multiple teacher interview prep sessions with local HR representatives and interview committee members at my little university

...but more on that later...

When going into an interview, most job-seekers (myself included!) are very focused on trying to convince someone (or a group of someones) that they are the best person for employment. I am quite confident that if you were to follow all of my tips, show off your best side, and bring your true A-Game to an interview, you would likely get considered for a position. I know that it is thrilling and terrifying all at once to be looking for your first job andyoujustwantonesobadyoucouldSCREAM! I know that there is a sense of security in knowing that if  you land a job you may not have to be going into debt just to pay rent and/or you might be able to live off of more than Ramen (teacher's salary=Ramen + some frozen veggies) next year. 

However, all that being said, it is so, so, so important to remember that you are interviewing them, too. I would strongly advise that in addition to the questions about the school, you consider asking at least some of the following questions during your interview**, especially if you feel like they might be getting pretty excited about hiring you:

• KINDLY ask your interviewer to be frank about what the current situation is. Is this a 2nd grade team of teachers who are really tight knit, and not looking forward to their buddy being moved up to 3rd? Do the school personnel fill traditional roles? Are you taking on a group of students who have experienced trauma or loss? Is this a brand new school with limited budget for materials/resources?
• Ask about the district policy on co-teaching. Do they foresee a general ed/special ed collaboration in one room? Is there a possibility that you might share a room with another teacher and class (only adding this because it's happened!)?
• Ask about the roles of support staff and administrative staff. Who can help you if you need support coming up with effective RtI interventions? Does the campus have a behavior specialist? What does the "director of special programs" do? 
• Ask if you will have any responsibility for supervising paraprofessionals. If so, what role does the paraprofessional typically take in the classroom? (not saying I've seen parapros working with the same level of responsibility as teachers but... IF that was the case you want to know whose toes you may be stepping on!) What things are you expected to do as their supervisor? Do they have responsibilities outside of your classroom?
• Finally, ask them to give a very brief overview of what a day in the position might look like and/or ask if you can chat with someone who currently holds the position, or one similar (not only does this give you good info about what you'll be doing, but it also tells you whether or not your interview team knows/cares about the position you are taking, which should also give you some food for thought)

Asking these questions (and other relevant, not annoying questions about things you easily could find on their website) will not make you look stupid. It will make you seem interested and like you care about being prepared to take on a challenge.

If the school is not a good fit for you, don't even think twice about continuing to look. Yes, a job is important. It pays the bills. It fills your dreams. It keeps you busy. It makes your heart sing. Whatever. But there is no harm in simply keeping your eyes peeled if you have taken a teaching job that makes you feel uncomfortable or like you settled. Check back in the next couple days to find out more about what could happen if you find a better fit!

*I swear, your first year of teaching is about the same effort as being pregnant and then birthing a child. Except you don't take a kid home at the end of it (PTL!) and you get to keep all of the weight...

**These seem fairly special-education-teachery, but I tell ya what... General ed teachers are being asked to take on a large chunk of these responsibilities more and more (I could write a novel on this- holler if you want my two cents), so if I was solely looking for a general education position you best bet I'd DEFINITELY still be asking almost all of these questions.