Saturday, June 9, 2012

Changes


A couple of weeks ago I posted that there were rumors that there was going to be a lot of movement of teachers in my district.  Well, there was!  I found out this week that I am going to be a basic skills teacher next year.  It is a HUGE change for me!  I will no longer have my own homeroom or my own class.  Instead, I will be going into other teachers' classrooms to co-teach with them during their literacy period.  In my district, they call it a push-in model of instruction.  Rather than pull the children in need from the classroom, the basic skills teacher "pushes in" and works with the classroom teacher to help those particular students.

I am being moved because I have a specialty in reading and the district wants to put people with strong, certified backgrounds in literacy and math in those basic skills positions in an effort to bump up the test scores of those friends. 

I'm not happy, but I'm not devastated. Feeling sort of melancholy about the whole thing.

Sad about the move because:
-I didn't ask for it.  I am very happy in my current position.
-I will really miss having my own class.  I love everything about it, setting up my classroom, having the same group of friends all year long, etc.
-Despite it being a co-teaching model, I will really have to plan and teach according to what the classroom teacher is doing.  There is a definite loss of control in this position.
-Often, basic skills teacher are in the room for only part of the period.  It makes it difficult to really do the job well when you can't be in the room for the full literacy period.  I am hopeful that they will change the scheduling this year, but we will see.
-Since I will be pushing into other classrooms, I will need to pack up my classroom.  It means all the great resources, books, games, etc. I have will be boxed and not really used.  I know some of it I certainly will use, but most of it will just be stored now.  That makes me kind of sad.
-No room to decorate!  I always like decorating my classroom with a new theme each year.  Very sad to not have a room to decorate. 
-In my district, non-homeroom teachers follow a different schedule with different duty assignments.  Let's just say I'm not thrilled with the duty assignments I'll have now!

Okay with the move because:
-I do know that I will be helping students in real need.  Having a masters in reading and being a licensed reading specialist, my background in literacy will be most helpful to those students.
-I'm only teaching literacy next year.  As a classroom/homeroom elementary teacher, you know we teach math, science, social studies, health, etc.  It will be nice to have just my favorite subject to focus on.
-It will mean less work to bring home at night.  I simply won't have the demands that the classroom teacher has.  This will be a nice change.  I have been teaching "gifted" students for the past several years.  When it comes to a writing assignment, those kids can write!  It usually takes forever to grade their work.  Even their assessments were more involved than the regular ed classes.  So, I can expect a little bit of a lighter load in that area.  However, I suspect that time will be taken up with more planning for my new at-risk friends.
-Speaking of less work, I don't have to set up a classroom!  I know I cited this as a sad reason earlier.  However, I have to admit it will be nice to not have to go in to school that last week of August to set up a classroom.  I can basically just walk in on our in-service days before school starts.  In the past, I would easily spend a week or sometimes even two of my summer vacation setting up my room for the year.
-As for planning, I am looking forward to creating activities and projects that will engage these children.  Unlike my gifted students who were one or two years above grade level, my new friends next year are testing one to two levels below grade level.  I really think it is key to plan a lot of high interest lessons and activities for these kids.  They need to be hooked into learning, and I'm planning to get them hooked!  :-)

So, we will have to see what next year brings.  I am just going to embrace the change and roll with it.

In the meantime, I could really use your help.  With my new position, I am interested in finding some blogs written by "push-in" teachers; anyone that works with lower ability children, teachers that go in to other teacher's classrooms to teach, anything that is sort of similar to the situation I will be in next year.  If you know of any blogs like this, would you mind letting me know about them in the comments?  I've got a whole summer to catch-up on how they do it and be inspired!

8 comments:

  1. To be able to see bothsides of your situation is a plus. It sounds tho that you will most definitely be able to help so many at risk kids. All the best!

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  2. Wishing you luck! I think your commitment to your friends (now you will have so many!) will do well in your new role. I used to teach ELL and it was a similar model - you might want to add ELL teacher blogs into your search for folks working push-in. I found the hardest part the working with so many classroom teachers (logistically speaking, not that I didn't like working with them!).

    I see you making a lot of change not only for the kids you will be working with, but hopefully bringing new strategies to the teachers whose classrooms you will be in.

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  3. Nancy, Good luck on your new teaching position! I know exactly how you feel. My 3rd year of teaching I was moved to a resource position. I felt much like you do. For me, it was not a permanent position, and I have been back in the classroom for several years now. Your great attitude will definitely help and I know you'll do a great job!

    ThinkShareTeach

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  4. Wow Nancy, what a change! I can see where you would miss your classroom and I'm sorry for that. I love how you have thought about both sides, you are always so positive. I know that you will do amazing work with those students and they will be so fortunate to have you!!

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  5. This is such a huge change! I'm not sure what I would do if I was thrown into this. I'm new to your blog and looking forward to following you and see how this plays out. We have some push in teachers at my school, but they push in to a table and hold a small resource group during our literacy centers. There are some teachers who get push in for co-teaching with speech, but not many. You seem like you have a great attitude though, so I'm sure you will do wonderful!

    Katie
    Dirty Hands and Lesson Plans

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  6. Oh wow, that is a big change! Good for you for being able to see both sides of the switch. My grade level is departmentalizing for the first time next year, so I have a similar pro's and con's list going on in my head. I am thrilled to be able to teach all our second graders technology, but I have to give up teaching science and social studies... loss of control is hard! Good luck with planning this summer. I look forward to reading about your new position!

    PS: I am a brand new teacher blogger and would love for you to stop by!

    Kate
    EduKate and Inspire

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  7. Check Out 90SecondsToChoose.com

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLXfrOn_aL4&feature=channel&list=UL

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  8. Hi! I am kind if in your shoes!! Except that I am going to be a 3-5 math coach which is a new position to the school. Plus it will be a move to a new school as well!! I will definitely keep checking in on your blog and seeing how it goes for you. Good luck :)y blog is http://learningwithmrss.com

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