3 months...almost!

Some of you may be wondering how I am liking my new job...  Well, I am here to tell you that I love it!  Sure, there are days when you just want to crawl back into bed and not face the world, but I had those when I was not working at all!  It has nothing to do with middle school or middle school kids!  LOL  I am really enjoying the atmosphere of middle school...  The kids are still hormonal teens with attitudes, and they still give you grief.  But, it is a much younger and still somewhat respectful grief...  The attitude you see is just kids being kids, as opposed to the high school attitude that often stems from their incorrect belief that they are "an adult" despite the way they act and that teachers disrespect them merely by expecting them to work!  LOL

After teaching social studies for years, it is funny to find myself in a mostly MATH classroom every day!  I always said I wasn't a math person, but I find it is not bad...not bad at all!  If I posted this on Facebook, Joy from LHS would "like" it!  The only bad part is trying to make these kids, who struggle daily with math that is far below their grade level, understand that they CAN do it if they patiently try and work to build their skills.  So many of them are frustrated to a point of what seems like no return...  There are times when you sit working one on one with a student in my room and when the bell rings to note that your time is up you just want to give them a hug and tell them to keep trying...it will be fine...  I've got a couple who I know may never get it...may never pass that danged standardized test.  But, they plod ahead day after day with the thought that maybe...just maybe, it will happen.  Some of my kids try soooooo hard but seem to fall flat each time a new skill is introduced.  It was great this week to see a couple of them get to new skills that, when explained better, were concepts that they "got" and could be successful at.  It is awesome to see them smile and say "ohhhhhh, NOW I get it!"

Also on the school front, Matt is loving preK.  He's come so far in this 3 months!  His speech is better.  He is progressing past the not-sharing, getting in arguments at school stage and becoming an easier going kid.  After suffering for so long with the separation anxiety due to being taken from his parent (mommy OR daddy) every 8 weeks for years, his potty training is finally progressing to the point that he can wear undies most of the day.  

Check out his first "school pic" below!

 And the whole class shot!

And, did I mention that I'm the new President for our local GFWC LaBelle Community Woman's Club??? 

The start of a new stage of my life...

3 months again...how does that happen?  LOL

What does that mean--starting a new stage of my life, you may wonder...  Well, after more than 10 years of adult education and advocacy in special education, and 3 years teaching high school history, this year I am switching things up again!  Last Monday, I began the "middle school" phase of my life again!  And, it is at the same middle school I attended as a teen and the same middle school where I did my student teaching all those years ago....well, sort of--the same school but in a newer building at a new site all the way across town!

SO, what is this new middle school phase?  After all those years in advocating for the rights of children with disabilities, I am now a full-time ESE (Exceptional Student Education) teacher for 7th and 8th grade here in LaBelle.  That means that I am the "special ed" teacher for all of our LaBelle Middle School students who have a 504 or IEP (Individualized Education Plan)--whether in an ESE class or not.  I am the one who helps keep up with/monitor their IEPs.  I am the resource room teacher and the one who does the consults on the kiddos who don't spend any time in an ESE classroom, but have special needs.  We had our first round of IEP meetings this week and everything went great!  The Staffing Specialist for our side of the county (the ESE person from the Board of Education) is an old friend and teacher of mine.  She was a science teacher when I was in Middle School.  She was a CHADD member when I founded the first CHADD Chapter of my CHADD career (anybody remember the "duck tape" story?), and she's a great friend and parent of 2 pretty ADHD kiddos...well, young adults!  We've worked together over the last 3 years while I was the "regular education" teacher for lots of children with special needs at the high school.  Now, we'll be working together a bit more and with a new focus--for me at least!

On other fronts, I need to get my butt moving--literally...  I spent too much time on the road and eating out this summer.  I need to lose about 20 pounds to feel the way I used to feel...  I know HOW to do it and I know I have the tools to do it.  What I am lacking is motivation.  Snugly fitting clothes is about to do it though!  I refuse to buy new clothes instead of taking the weight off!  The bike tires are pumped up...I just need to get them rolling!

Has it really been almost 3 mos?

Wow, Sept 19 was my last post.... Really? I can tell you the time has flown! SO many things have happened in that time! In August, I went back to work, but changed subject areas... I am a social studies teacher. That is where my heart lies. BUT, our school district went though some budget cuts and my social studies position was gone. So, as of June 9th, as I posted before, I was unemployed. I did find a new position, at the same school---my own high school, class of 1985--but it was in Reading and ESE. I was also given a class of AP World History, so not totally out of social studies, but it was only 1/4th of my day. AND, it was a brand new class for me too as I've taught world history, but not at a college level like AP (advanced placement for those wondering--an honors course that can qualify a high school student for college credit if they pass the AP exam at the course end).

Then, in late October, I was called to the principal's office! I was a good kid, so this was new! LOL Anyway, she told me that one of our social studies teachers was leaving to go back to teaching at the elementary level. And, as I'd helped her out quite a bit this past year, she said she felt like she owed it to me to offer the position to me before she posted it. Wow! THANKS! I was so excited to get the chance to go back to social studies! She still posted a position, but it was my reading/ESE position, not the social studies slot. SO, I finished up the trimester in reading and went full-time social studies again as of the start of the new trimester--Nov 17th. I am teaching American History (2 classes), World History (non-AP, 1 class) and still have my AP World History kids as well. BUT, this also meant changing classrooms--AGAIN! I had to move all the way across campus for the reading position as teachers are clustered together--reading in one area, language arts in another, math another, etc. Reading and social studies are about as far apart as any two subjects can be. This position change meant moving all that way back to the social studies wing...again! This added flavor to the month of November!

Also in November, I attended the CHADD National Conference in Atlanta and got to hook up with old friends who live all over the country--Pam from Washington state, Belynda from Louisiana, Loretta from North Carolina, Linda from Michigan, Marie from Pennsylvania, Karran from Louisiana, Fran from Michigan, Lew from California, Melanie from Utah--YOU get the picture! We're all CHADD volunteers and we only get to see each other when we make it to conference!

I also met pro-wrestler Matt "the blueprint" Morgan at conference. He spoke about his own childhood as a child (and now adult) with AD/HD. It was very moving for all who were there and he drove the cameraman NUTS as he walked back and forth on stage! It is great to see these big, strong, successful guys admit that they, too, suffer with the same things as everyone else.

Matthew (aka world's greatest grandbaby) has been home since Nov 6th. He has to go back to WV on New Year's Day--not the greatest time to be traveling... Next court date in the custody battle is Dec 16th. Fingers crossed and prayers going up for a positive outcome there. He has grown SO much! He went right past 24 mos size clothes and straight into 2T and 3T stuff... He's tall and slender, so often ends up with what we call a "cheerleader roll" to the waistband of his bottoms as they aren't long enough if you buy the size that fits him around his tummy! LOL

Life in AP world history land is stressful at times. These are 10th graders (15 or 16 years of age) and they are not really ready for the rigors of a college-level class, but they selected this option and are now having to give it their all to stay caught up. Grades are lower than they'd be in a non-AP class and they have to live with that too. Those grades are weighted though, so a C is a B when you figure GPA and a B is an A... It all comes out in the wash for the diligent students. The rest know where they let it slide and have only themselves to blame.

Christmas is just 21 more days away! I'm making fudge today and may get some baking in tomorrow. I've entered a cake contest next week at school and will be making my turtle cheesecake.... Judging is a week from Monday!

Crisis Averted!

As I informed you back in May, my position as a teacher was reallocated to the language arts department and I was unemployed as of June 9th. I've been job hunting since the end of April and there are just SO many teachers out of work right now due to budgetary cutbacks that I was really worried about finding something before school starts in August. I'm qualified to teach so many things, but there are just more applicants than there are jobs. I am certified to teach Social Studies, grades 6-12, Exceptional Student Education (special education or ESE) for grades K-12, and can teach any subject for 5-9 as I carry the Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum 5-9 certification as well. Was all of that doing me much good? It didn't seem like it!

BUT, my principal found me a position after all! It will be a hectic year, but I will be strong and "just do it!" I will be teaching ESE (learning strategies class), 2 classes of "level 3 reading" which is 11th grade reading--I think, and then 1 period/class of 9th grade physical science. Yes, me--the social studies teacher--teaching science! I've never done it before, but I passed the test and am now qualified to do it. This year, I get a chance to see how I like it! Our school is stretched really thin in several areas this year due to financial restrictions. We don't have enough science teachers. We did get another language arts teacher (due to my lost job being shifted to them). We don't have enough reading teachers or ESE teachers. The math department is stretched a bit thin AND the social studies department is going to be very thin with losing my position and adding several AP courses to their offerings... Just not enough teachers to go around and the school board doesn't get it!

I'm happy to have secured a full time position so soon in the summer. I'll have 3 different classes to teach, so that allows me more time before school starts to familiarize myself with the course materials, get moved into my new classroom (not as nice as what I had, but I'll make due!) and get started for this new position...

Sorry for the delay!

So sorry to say that before today it had been three months again since my last post.... Lots has happened in that time...

As you may remember, I started teaching Nov 11, 2009 at my old high school here in FL. I have had a great year and have worked with some awesome kids. Graduation is next Friday and my own baby, Mandy, will be one of the kids crossing the stage, accepting their diploma, and moving into the next stage of their lives... Definitely going to be a kleenex moment! But, life goes on and theirs is just starting!

I was informed a few weeks ago that my current teaching position has been cut for next year. In other words, "It has been wonderful having you here this year, but we're really sorry that we can't keep you for next year....." SO, back to the grindstone of finding a new job. I had really hoped that my life was finally taking a turn for the better, more level road... Apparently that wasn't the case just yet! And, in today's teaching force here in FL, there are a lot of folks looking for positions because they've been cut just like me. Fewer positions + more applicants means a harder time finding something! My principal wrote me a great letter of recommendation. We'll see what happens.

Yesterday, I went and took a test ($200!) to get qualified in a new certification area--Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum, 5-9. The passing score I received (yeah!!) means that I'll be qualified to teach language arts, social studies, math, or science in grades 5 through 9. I was already certified to teach social studies to grades 6-12 AND exceptional students (ESE) for grades K-12. I am hoping that all of this is enough to find something great and close to home. Cross your fingers for me, okay??