Monday, August 6, 2012

First Day! (Kinda)

Well, today is my first day back at work.  The students won't be here until next Monday.  Today is mostly about meetings, and we're currently on a lunch break.

We started off the morning reconnecting.  We spent some time playing games.  The same game which our incoming Freshmen played a week ago during our Summer Bridge program.  It was awesome.  Have you ever seen 25 adults playing Fruit Salad?  It's a blast.  We also got into small groups, were given props, and had about 10 minutes to come up with a skit about what we did over the summer.

The skits were hilarious!  I laughed so hard.  For about a second, I thought in the back of my mind about how much more could be getting done right now.  I mean, teachers always feel like they have no time, right?  But, that thought didn't last long.  I think the connecting and the fun was a great start to the day and a great start to a week of thinking ahead.

Once we reconvened for some more serious discussion, I pulled out my phone to text my husband (I know, during a presentation, I'm worse than the kids) "I love this school.  I work with some awesome people."

The next portion of our morning we looked at data about the past year, revisited the school goals and our progress, and talked about some changes in the upcoming year.  It really made me think of the big picture, and the overall idea about how our school functions.

My school is a small, charter school that isn't a part of a district.  It was founded by 3 teachers who wanted to create something unique.   I'm starting my second year, and what a journey it has been.  After I graduated, I taught in a big district on the other side of town.  Then I decided I wanted something different, and I am amazed at how different this place is.  The kids who attend lead different lives.  The staff have different ideas about what success is.   The overall feel of both schools is like night and day.

I've decided that neither one is "good," while the other one is "bad."  They both have pros and cons, both have things that they do well and things they need improvement on.  Both want to provide the best for their students.

What I like about this school, though, is that I feel like I get to be a part of that process.  Almost to a fault.  The administration wants to hear my ideas, wants be to contribute to the school outside of my classroom, and wants me to feel valued.  I love that.

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