One of the things that has really changed for me this year is that each day, after teaching one class of Spanish 1 and 2, I am no longer in charge of the educational objectives or work for my students. I am a Transition and KAPE teacher/facilitator.
What is that?
It is a long story. I worked all last week on this post, only to reread it and find it nothing more than a complaint, and that is not my intention! So, I saved it, I may want to revisit it, but this is going to be different.
Transition is a program where I facilitate the reintegration of students into the "regular" Discipline Alternative Education Program (DAEP) when they have been assigned a second time in a single school year. I am responsible for ensuring that they are working on their classwork, while also giving them some new skills so that they do not return again. The program is everything I could have imagined, but my time has been needed elsewhere as well, so I feel like I have let my students down. I have not (yet) been able to implement all the grand ideas I had when the year started. I wanted to teach my students about Gratitude, about mindsets, about their own Genius. I wanted to find out about their passions and turn them into motivations. What I have to remember is that I still can. I know how to connect with students, I know how to be excited myself, and I know how to direct attention and focus. While not being in that classroom all day will always be a disadvantage, I have a choice about how I use the time I am in there. I think that has been my big "AHA!" this week, that no matter what, I still have the choice. I am more than a bit sad that it took me so long.
The biggest part of my time is as a KAPE teacher/facilitator. I have all the upper level (K), AP, and elective (E) math classes during a 4 class period stretch of time. And I have EVERYTHING - from Algebra 1 first semester (it is now 2nd semester), Geometry block, to Calculus and AP Statistics. Home campus teachers are responsible for sending work AND instruction, and I facilitate the learning. While I may feel I am at the mercy of another's plans, I just remembered that it is still my classroom. I can still have MY traditions, MY celebrations, MY motivators, MY way of doing class. Oops, I let myself be angry and frustrated instead of allowing myself to be creative and solve problems. Are there problems? Of course! There are problems in every classroom. Do they all have an immediate solution? I think so, and the solution is in ME. It isn't in others doing what they are supposed to do, it is all about who I want to be in my class and WHY am I there.
In both of these areas I have forgotten my WHY. I truly love teaching. I could have been an administrator and I believe I would have been a very good one. But I love to teach. I love the teacher -student interactions, the aha moments, the smiles, the frustrations that lead to real learning. I stand for Improvement and Curiosity and Creativity, and I have forgotten that, but it is all coming back to me now. Why do I teach? I teach because I love learning. I teach because great teachers inspired me to be better than I thought I could be. I teach because I want ALL students to know how great they are!
I would love to hear from anyone else in Alternative Education who has had similar frustrations, hopes, and ideas!
What is that?
It is a long story. I worked all last week on this post, only to reread it and find it nothing more than a complaint, and that is not my intention! So, I saved it, I may want to revisit it, but this is going to be different.
Transition is a program where I facilitate the reintegration of students into the "regular" Discipline Alternative Education Program (DAEP) when they have been assigned a second time in a single school year. I am responsible for ensuring that they are working on their classwork, while also giving them some new skills so that they do not return again. The program is everything I could have imagined, but my time has been needed elsewhere as well, so I feel like I have let my students down. I have not (yet) been able to implement all the grand ideas I had when the year started. I wanted to teach my students about Gratitude, about mindsets, about their own Genius. I wanted to find out about their passions and turn them into motivations. What I have to remember is that I still can. I know how to connect with students, I know how to be excited myself, and I know how to direct attention and focus. While not being in that classroom all day will always be a disadvantage, I have a choice about how I use the time I am in there. I think that has been my big "AHA!" this week, that no matter what, I still have the choice. I am more than a bit sad that it took me so long.
The biggest part of my time is as a KAPE teacher/facilitator. I have all the upper level (K), AP, and elective (E) math classes during a 4 class period stretch of time. And I have EVERYTHING - from Algebra 1 first semester (it is now 2nd semester), Geometry block, to Calculus and AP Statistics. Home campus teachers are responsible for sending work AND instruction, and I facilitate the learning. While I may feel I am at the mercy of another's plans, I just remembered that it is still my classroom. I can still have MY traditions, MY celebrations, MY motivators, MY way of doing class. Oops, I let myself be angry and frustrated instead of allowing myself to be creative and solve problems. Are there problems? Of course! There are problems in every classroom. Do they all have an immediate solution? I think so, and the solution is in ME. It isn't in others doing what they are supposed to do, it is all about who I want to be in my class and WHY am I there.
In both of these areas I have forgotten my WHY. I truly love teaching. I could have been an administrator and I believe I would have been a very good one. But I love to teach. I love the teacher -student interactions, the aha moments, the smiles, the frustrations that lead to real learning. I stand for Improvement and Curiosity and Creativity, and I have forgotten that, but it is all coming back to me now. Why do I teach? I teach because I love learning. I teach because great teachers inspired me to be better than I thought I could be. I teach because I want ALL students to know how great they are!
I would love to hear from anyone else in Alternative Education who has had similar frustrations, hopes, and ideas!
Really enjoy your writing. Good for the soul!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
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