So it's safe to say my first quarter of teacher has gone better than the 2014 season for the Bears. As a friend posted recently, "For the $142,388,905 14-15 salaries and projected $116,948,249 16-17
salaries, the McCaskey family should consider an annual evaluation
system similar to what teachers have to go thru each year to keep our,
"high paying and glamorous" jobs. I'm sure all my teacher friends would
be happy to help write an evaluation tool." Preach. I could easily think of "4 Domains" for their high paid A$$, but I digress...
I have my first quarter of being a new teacher in a first year turnaround school under my belt. I can honestly say I can't imagine it going any better than it did considering what we have in terms of resources and parent involvement. I have a wide range of personalities in my class - from the classic over-achiever to the lazy, unmotivated can barely keep his head off the desk student. I love them all. My grade level partner is amazing and keeps my spirit up when I need it. The majority of our school is made up of first year teachers out of the residency. There is a special bond we share and it is so special to be a part of an amazing undertaking and ministry because that is what this is...my ministry.
The days are long - 6:30-6:30 at the school, then home for more work until I drop, 10 or 11pm. Lesson plans are due on Friday morning by 8am. I have missed this deadline once and honestly, my plans ended up being better because of it. The long days go by fast and the sense of urgency is real. I can honestly say my colleagues and I work like a well oiled machine. The machine still being built of course, but we run smooth. I never bat an eye when another teacher sticks a kid in my room to refocus and likewise, they don't miss a beat when I stick a 6th grader in their line to refocus and "sit criss cross applesauce and a bubble in their mouth." LOL
Our principal is a woman of few words, but when she shares it is direct and meaningful. She is kind, introverted and passionate. It is easy to be inspired with good leadership. She went out of her way to bring in massage therapists for the teachers during our PD day. It is the small things. From the instructional perspective, which, is my area of focus for growth (domains 1a, 1c, 1d and 1e to be exact...lol), I have unexpected resources, including an AUSL coach who is wonderful and a colleague that with only one year under her belt, is a wealth of knowledge and willing to share with me any time of day or night (thanks Laquita!)
One areas of contention I must address is the terrible conditions the school is left in due to the scandalous contract with Armark. The bathrooms are dirty, classrooms are not cleaned, and often are left in worse shape than we leave them in at the end of the day. I have gone so far as to buy a wet and dry swiffer and have classroom jobs for the kids (other colleagues have done so as well). We hear the mayor is coming to visit soon so maybe the floors will actually get mopped, but honestly, I'd rather he see how they really leave the school so he can see what a terrible job they are doing. It is a FAR cry from Tim Cawley's statement, "They will be as clean as hospitals." Sorry dude, not even close. What also sucks about this is the fact that my principal has to take ANY time away from her focus which is climate, culture and instruction to reprimand an incompetent Aramark manager who never shuts up...but does nothing. I literally cleaned the drinking fountains with Clorox wipes last week because I didn't want my kids to drink out of them the way they were.
Anyway, we are a quarter in and aside from the normal growing pains, we are getting it done! The kids see and understand it is a different school than years past and love it. They are smart, funny, loving, under served children who are finally getting the Free and Public Education they deserve. It is their right after all.
Shout out to all the first year turnaround teams - Team Dvorak, Team Gresham and Team McNair! Don't forget the peaks in between the valleys. They are there because of you!!!
