So far (since August) this school year I've been assigned 5 different class lists across 4 schools and 2 districts. I spent time setting up 3 classrooms in August, really only teaching in 1 and then finally....today, yes NOVEMBER 5, I finally settled into my brand new room, at my brand new position.
So how'd all this happen? And am I super-human?? The answer to that is no. But here's what went down....I'll do a bulleted approach to sum it up.
- August Friday: I interviewed for a position much closer to home and a larger metropolitan area
- Same Friday, I got a call from my brand new principal who told me that I was being reassigned to a different building due to class sizes. Seniority was not considered, asking for volunteers was not thought of...I was just told to leave the only school I'd worked in for 4 years and move everything, every single desk and chair across the district. The best part of this was...this was all literally the Friday before in-service began and hardly A WEEK before the students were coming.
**Yes, my current classroom was ready to go for the most part.**
- 3-8am Saturday morning: I was awake watching Ice Road Truckers on demand, trying not to panic. Just self-talking and pinching myself really hard and concocting moving schemes and making lists of all the good things to look forward to in the new school.
- Saturday night allll night and Sunday morning = moving fast!
- Monday morning: I'm icing a pulled groin thanks to moving so fast & I get a call saying I got the position I interviewed for = KINDERGARTEN (AM and PM sessions)
- Monday afternoon: resignation time
So one would think this story, would end. Nope! Things got more bizarre....
- Monday evening: Resignation not accepted. Instructed to attend in-service and informed that due to PA law, my district could hold me for 60 days and they intended to hold me to every last one of 'em.
- Tuesday was more moving and setting up the room I was reassigned to: a choir room upstairs by 5th grade. Then I called the district that had just hired me and told them I'd be held. They found a sub to cover my K position (both the AM and PM) section.
So that was that, I opened the year and taught for almost a month I think before I was replaced. Then I handed off to the teacher replacing me over a 3 day period and thought I was going to K. But WAIT! God was too good, he must've known I was a little stressed about teaching a new grade and starting halfway through September. God had a different plan for me. A first grade teacher where I was going resigned to stay home with her kiddies and so... I'M STILL IN FIRST! :)
Now here I am....today I unpacked my last trunk load and last box. It may be November, but I'm finally organized in my classroom. :)
It's been crazy, it's been wild. It's been real. And looking back, I still don't know how I did it. Did I mention that I had to move personally during all of this, too??? Yup, I had to move closer to my new position. Anyways, I think it was Pooh that said: Always remember, you are braver than you seem, smarter than you think, and stronger than you know...or something close to that. That's what I learned from this whole ordeal.
And...
I learned to dream, dream big, and hard. Chase your dreams professionally and personally. And girls, when you stop one day and realize you've achieved all of your dreams and goals then, well then it's time to make new ones! For me, I made a change for personal happiness. One day, I just realized (with the help of Pinterest) that I wasn't a tree. I could get up and move...and move I did. It wasn't easy. It wasn't simple. It was a little sad. It was definitely ending that first job, first apartment chapter in my life. But I knew it was time to pick up the pen and begin a new chapter in life.
Have a blessed week my friends! I promise I'll be back with more real teaching talk soon.
