Immediate disclaimer: the picture to the right is NOT of me! But it makes for a good illustration of how my week has been. We are wrapping up a full week of practice STAAR testing (the state standardized assessment for those of you who are not in Texas). I could write a post about my opinions on the preponderence of testing in our schools...but I'll save that for my elected officials. What I'd like to write about today is the flexibility that is required of teachers--and librarians--these days.
I was supposed to be in the library yesterday morning, covering for the librarian again, but due to the number of students requiring small group and individual administration of tests, I was needed to test. At the librarian's request, I was able to open up the library and get all the computers booted up before the assistant arrived for her morning shift, so I did get to help in a small way. The rest of my day, as much of my week, was spent in test administration.
I may have mentioned that prior to working on my current campus, my previous teaching experience was post-college, 1987-1993. I was out of the classroom for seventeen years, working as a tutor, neonatal ICU assistant and clerk, and ARD facilitator. I felt just like that newly-graduated teacher again, returning to the classroom after almost two decades. What I quickly learned is that a teacher's day/ week is much different than what I experienced back then. Years ago, I would have entire weeks of solid routine days; my classes were used to certain work being done on certain days. Nowadays, students are pulled for collaborative days, speakers, district assessments, state assessments, and special projects. We have focus days in which they work on math or writing all day in small group rotations. Even on our "regular" days, students and teachers need to remember which specials the students attend (we are very lucky to have music, art, p.e., and Spanish!). Teachers--including myself--are also pulled to attend professional development workshops and attend committee meetings and job-alikes. Add in the usual student and teacher absences, and it makes for quite a bit of disruption to the "routine"--if that even exists anymore!
What this means is that I have had to learn to be VERY flexible, especially in my role as a pull-out resource teacher. I rely heavily on our shared online campus calendar and principal's weekly newsletters to plan on interruptions to my schedule. I've also learned to "let go" of that which I have no control over (at least most of the time!). Most weeks, I look over the grade level teams' lesson plans (also through our share drive) to see how I can connect the learning in general ed to what we're doing in resource. At times, it feels like I am in reactive mode more than proactive... but that's okay, too. I have learned to think of it as prescriptive, not reactive, much in the way a doctor prescribes a "cure" for what ails you. We can't always predict exactly what a student won't understand, what support is needed for that special activity--and so I have to be flexible enough to provide services at point of need.
I have seen this flexibility at work in the library during my internship. The librarians were dealing with "surprises" on a daily basis, with facility, tech, and equipment requests, incoming shipments, and specific teacher and student needs. I don't think I had a repeat-routine days while I interned at the elementary and high school libraries. This may be a test of flexibility; it also keeps the job fresh and interesting. I am glad that I returned to the classroom while working on my MLS degree, because this experience will surely add to my effectiveness as a librarian.
I was supposed to be in the library yesterday morning, covering for the librarian again, but due to the number of students requiring small group and individual administration of tests, I was needed to test. At the librarian's request, I was able to open up the library and get all the computers booted up before the assistant arrived for her morning shift, so I did get to help in a small way. The rest of my day, as much of my week, was spent in test administration.
I may have mentioned that prior to working on my current campus, my previous teaching experience was post-college, 1987-1993. I was out of the classroom for seventeen years, working as a tutor, neonatal ICU assistant and clerk, and ARD facilitator. I felt just like that newly-graduated teacher again, returning to the classroom after almost two decades. What I quickly learned is that a teacher's day/ week is much different than what I experienced back then. Years ago, I would have entire weeks of solid routine days; my classes were used to certain work being done on certain days. Nowadays, students are pulled for collaborative days, speakers, district assessments, state assessments, and special projects. We have focus days in which they work on math or writing all day in small group rotations. Even on our "regular" days, students and teachers need to remember which specials the students attend (we are very lucky to have music, art, p.e., and Spanish!). Teachers--including myself--are also pulled to attend professional development workshops and attend committee meetings and job-alikes. Add in the usual student and teacher absences, and it makes for quite a bit of disruption to the "routine"--if that even exists anymore!
What this means is that I have had to learn to be VERY flexible, especially in my role as a pull-out resource teacher. I rely heavily on our shared online campus calendar and principal's weekly newsletters to plan on interruptions to my schedule. I've also learned to "let go" of that which I have no control over (at least most of the time!). Most weeks, I look over the grade level teams' lesson plans (also through our share drive) to see how I can connect the learning in general ed to what we're doing in resource. At times, it feels like I am in reactive mode more than proactive... but that's okay, too. I have learned to think of it as prescriptive, not reactive, much in the way a doctor prescribes a "cure" for what ails you. We can't always predict exactly what a student won't understand, what support is needed for that special activity--and so I have to be flexible enough to provide services at point of need.
I have seen this flexibility at work in the library during my internship. The librarians were dealing with "surprises" on a daily basis, with facility, tech, and equipment requests, incoming shipments, and specific teacher and student needs. I don't think I had a repeat-routine days while I interned at the elementary and high school libraries. This may be a test of flexibility; it also keeps the job fresh and interesting. I am glad that I returned to the classroom while working on my MLS degree, because this experience will surely add to my effectiveness as a librarian.
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