I haven't written much about school this year, because frankly, I learned my lesson last year.
This year has been a totally different experience. By this time last year I already knew I was not going to be invited back. I asked my current principal for a letter of recommendation and she basically told me that I was not allowed to leave. It's nice to be loved.
Last year I was aching for some learning of my own. I took a class on Reading Recovery because I was basically forced to, but other than that I didn't have a whole lot of opportunities for professional development. Where I am now, I have been out of district for FOUR classes. The first was in October for a Love and Logic conference with Jim Fay. The second was in January for a class on the six traits of writing (it was AWESOME! My students are SO digging what we're doing), and I was able to implement the strategies I learned right away. The third was Mandt training last month, which is a relational course which deals with supportive and restrictive holds (which, luckily, I haven't had to use). Last week I went to the School Improvement Conference in Casper with a group of colleagues. Both keynote speakers were very inspiring and informational, and many of the breakout sessions were exceptional as well. I just don't like when they read the powerpoing to me, because, you know, I can read it myself, you know?
The school I teach at now is a complete 180 degree difference from the one last year. Any school has it's issues, mind you, but the issues at this school seem more tolerable. I feel like so much more of a team player this year. There's only two men at our school, and they're only there part time, so its basically 60 women together. You know how that goes. For the most part, we get along great. There's always those who have a hard time doing what needs to be done, but it seems like here that we're just...about the kids, you know? Last year's school was all about the adult drama, and this year it's the KIDS. I feel TOTALLY supported, instead of attacked and talked about behind my back.
It's the same type of school that I was at for the past two years in Minnesota and Hell. The kids are basically poverty-ridden. We have lots of English language learners. We have lots of family issues. This definitely isn't our Las Vegas school, where parents are dropping off kids in Lamborgdinis.
So I'm at an impasse, and Ryan and I need to talk about this a little more. We both want to be back in Minnesota so badly. I *hate* being away from our families. And already, there's positions open in Minnesota for next year. I suppose I should apply, because applying for something doesn't necessarily mean I'll be interviewed or offered a position. But Ry and I need to answer the "what if" questions. We *hate* moving, but we have our goals, too. We bought the "mini-van" because we were looking towards the future. I think we both want our kids to grow up in Minnesota with their grandparents and aunt and uncle and such, too.
BLAH! One of the speakers at the school improvement conference was talking about us "Generation Y"-ers. He was talking about how we hate making decisions and we basically just want to delay growing up. It couldn't be truer.