As I spent the summer looking forward to my 17th year of teaching..YES...17...i looked forward to getting back to what would be an AWESOME year. I was slated to teach inclusion Integrated Science and Inclusion Biology! Inclusion is where a special education teacher (me) goes into a classroom with a regular education teacher and supports the learning of all students. Further, I thought i would be with my really good friend, Pam. She and I had taught the previous two years together and really had developed a close relationship -- and a rhythm together when we taught that would rival most gymnasts!
THEN...WHAMMO! I get a text (while i was driving through SC). "All your classes have been changed..you are not teaching with Pam..more info later". I was so stunned I had to pull over and call the sender. THAT MOMENT was CHICKEN CHANGE (I don't know what that means -- but my mom used to say it) compared to what has happened since.
IN GOOD NEWS...I spent two weeks with my parents at our cabin in north Georgia....had a great time!
NOW ON WITH THE SHOW!
Since I have returned i learned that we would teach from a pre-set calendar, be required to use pre-set lessons (they say it's optional -- but I wasn't raised in a barn) and people who were supposed to be helpful -- aren't. SO...for brevity..becasue i plan on blogging later about cool things....here goes...
CHAIRS: We were told that we could not sit down during our class. This has become a very interesting idea since we were: (1) forced into a 90 minute block; (2) forced to teach 1 extra period a day; and (3) ARE HUMAN. In the words of "those above" "Walk like the shark around the room...in and out the rows...like a shark". Ummm... Okay...when you get out of your office...I'm out of the chair for the few minutes I can be in it. A teacher was reprimanded for sitting down while she was doing a computer simulation for her students ... on the computer...what...should she hover?
CHICKEN WINGS: Thank goodness for "9th and 10th hours" (we have a new forced block schedule...1, 3, 5, 7 or 2, 4, 6, 8)....OKAY..that's code for HAPPY HOUR!! I have never seen the local watering hole (which serves GREAT chicken wings so crowded every Friday....We all have 'cards" which earn us points for each purchase. Happy hour is from 4 to 7 and if you order the big mug instead of two smaller (for the 2-4-1) you actually get 2 oz more beer..the waiter told us that!
MR. T.: I feel like some of the people who are supposed to help us feel that they are "Mr. T."...they try to catch us doing wrong at all times.....you know "I pity the fool who isn't ______________ (fill in the blank).
ETC: Five teachers were "involuntarily transferred" to other schools.....no notice....no nothing. They were told "you are not needed here..you need to go elsewhere" (I paraphrase). While I know that most of these individuals probably will do better elsewhere. i leave you with my FB/Twitter post: "It's okay to do the right thing...just do it the right way...especially when dealing with people's livelihood!
I would love to tell the story of the "Chair Rebellion" .. but that is still in progress!
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