There were times when I taught overseas that I thought I wasn't going to make it and I was at a good school. Sometimes, you get tired of foolishness, lack of communication, seeing people being singled out in unprofessional ways, and seeing people being judged on their teaching skills when you know their interaction in classroom has been sporadic and/or their recommendations aren't necessarily sound.
So, imagine my dismay when I realized that I'm in a very similar situation now. I noticed confused looks on new teacher's faces as we walked around wondering when we would be sat down and talked to about policies and procedures. Instead, we were told to ask our teammate. Fine. But if I didn't know something I should have, I felt like I was a snitch because they'd ask who you went to for help. I have to work with these people for a year. I'm good on that.
Once I realized the situation I was in, I buckled down and got my room together as best I could with what I call "repatriation brain". I recommend taking some time off to get reacclimated if at all financially possible. I turned down offerings of worksheets galore and felt like each decline marked me as an uncooperative teacher. I stayed the course. I saw through plannings where my ideas were completely different from my team so I kept my mouth shut once I realized they had a well oiled machine that didn't need changing. I stayed the course. I worried that my kids would be well below expectations at the end of the year because we were moving at a different rate. I stayed the course. It paid off.
Not only did they make tremendous gains in the final year assessment on iReady-some by over 100 points!-but I found out today that the teacher who got my class this year (they moved as a group with some others sprinkled in with them) has no red students in Dibels. When I tell you that I did a DANCE! She made my day. I was so happy and joyous.
That didn't last long. And I've been putting it aside and bringing it back to chew on it since school dismissed. Let me first say that I am proud of myself for my reaction. I hate confrontation even though my face may say otherwise (literally LOL). Even so, I remained calm, had no feelings of angst, and wasn't even defensive. The old me would have replayed the conversation in my mind and filled myself with dread wondering how I came across to the other person.
Instead, I will move past this unproductive conversation and continue to read as much as I can until I am able to work with people who are more aligned with the kindergarten I know and love. Instead of having a conversation about her feedback, which is what I have been able to do for the past 7 years, she took it to mean I wasn't listening and pushing back. In my mind, we can have a better conversation if I tell you my intent behind something and then we can have a conversation about how I can better go about implementing something. I'm all for feedback but if you give me worksheets for low KG students and tell me to sit the class in front of a 30 minute video every day for a month until they learn their letters (last year), I can only conclude that we are not on the same page.
I, in no way feel like I know everything. On the contrary, I want to learn and grow. It is something I looked forward to when I returned. I don't know if it's the nature of the system but I feel like some schools are better than others with being DAP. Part of me wonders if I should just do as the others even though I don't really know how that looks and it goes against what I've learned and read. The other part of me says my data shows I don't have to do that.
So, imagine my dismay when I realized that I'm in a very similar situation now. I noticed confused looks on new teacher's faces as we walked around wondering when we would be sat down and talked to about policies and procedures. Instead, we were told to ask our teammate. Fine. But if I didn't know something I should have, I felt like I was a snitch because they'd ask who you went to for help. I have to work with these people for a year. I'm good on that.
Once I realized the situation I was in, I buckled down and got my room together as best I could with what I call "repatriation brain". I recommend taking some time off to get reacclimated if at all financially possible. I turned down offerings of worksheets galore and felt like each decline marked me as an uncooperative teacher. I stayed the course. I saw through plannings where my ideas were completely different from my team so I kept my mouth shut once I realized they had a well oiled machine that didn't need changing. I stayed the course. I worried that my kids would be well below expectations at the end of the year because we were moving at a different rate. I stayed the course. It paid off.
Not only did they make tremendous gains in the final year assessment on iReady-some by over 100 points!-but I found out today that the teacher who got my class this year (they moved as a group with some others sprinkled in with them) has no red students in Dibels. When I tell you that I did a DANCE! She made my day. I was so happy and joyous.
That didn't last long. And I've been putting it aside and bringing it back to chew on it since school dismissed. Let me first say that I am proud of myself for my reaction. I hate confrontation even though my face may say otherwise (literally LOL). Even so, I remained calm, had no feelings of angst, and wasn't even defensive. The old me would have replayed the conversation in my mind and filled myself with dread wondering how I came across to the other person.
Instead, I will move past this unproductive conversation and continue to read as much as I can until I am able to work with people who are more aligned with the kindergarten I know and love. Instead of having a conversation about her feedback, which is what I have been able to do for the past 7 years, she took it to mean I wasn't listening and pushing back. In my mind, we can have a better conversation if I tell you my intent behind something and then we can have a conversation about how I can better go about implementing something. I'm all for feedback but if you give me worksheets for low KG students and tell me to sit the class in front of a 30 minute video every day for a month until they learn their letters (last year), I can only conclude that we are not on the same page.
I, in no way feel like I know everything. On the contrary, I want to learn and grow. It is something I looked forward to when I returned. I don't know if it's the nature of the system but I feel like some schools are better than others with being DAP. Part of me wonders if I should just do as the others even though I don't really know how that looks and it goes against what I've learned and read. The other part of me says my data shows I don't have to do that.
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