Well it's a new year with new experiences! Last spring, as I was on my year's leave from work, I started wondering where I was going to be the following year. One of the nearby schools went down a class, so a friend of mine was placed in my job. I knew as soon as she was put there, I probably wouldn't be back at University. I was so focused on the kids I didn't really think about it. Come March and kindergarten registration, my favorite time of year, I started asking some questions. At that point they hadn't placed me but our human resources guy told me that the principal from Adams was going to call me about a possible job share. My heart skipped a beat. A job share? It couldn't be possible? I've wanted this, needed this. I had a job share partner in mind but I was waiting for her partner to retire…still. I didn't know this woman or anything about her! How exciting!
So her and I chatted a bit about work, life and so on. We met with the administrator and team and he decided to grant us our wish, a job share! My new administrator's daughter had been in a job share and it hadn't gone so well. So he expressed his concerns, we expressed our confidence. My partner's mom has worked in a job share for 20 years and so we had some leverage to make a case on how well we do. We were elated!
So here is my new home, Adams Elementary. First I had to move out of my old school and boy was that work! I had stuff stored in 3 teachers room so I could leave it there for the year. I pulled out my intermediate books and materials and my kindergarten, primary supplies. WOW! Do I have a lot of stuff! After hours, evenings, days sorting I limited what I was going to bring to school and what would stay home.
Being a teacher, my kiddos come to school often so when we moved in, we had the whole family!
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| Loving touches? |
Hudson loves his sister but poor Hannah!
Jared was a big help! Two cars and one carry on item, lol, and I was in my new classroom!
Hudson loved pushing Hannah up and down the halls in the stroller. Hours of entertainment. I did a bit worried at the ramp and when he was running while pushing her. All I heard were squeals:).
So here we, job share partners!
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| Kim & I on our back to school night |
In job a share, you have to give up a lot, a lot of control. WOW! Did you just hear me say that?! I knew going into it, the schedule is ideal but you sacrifice in many other ways. Now because I again am at a new grade level, I'm the newbie ugh. To recap I've been special ed K-5, 5th, kinder and now 4th. I can't wait to teach the same grade for more than 3 years! It isn't my room, hers is already put together. She graciously offered to redo things, but why? I mean we both want to be with our kids and instead of wasting hours redecorating, I let it go:). Yes it's neon colors, not my favorite. Yes it's bright. Yes it's simple. But Jared did tell me this is the first year I haven't wasted time at school fiddle farting around with decor and room arrangement till wee hours in the morning. It's nice actually.
As outgoing as I may be, being the newbie has been hard. I'm in a new grade level, new school, new room, and new families. Although one of my former kindergartners is in my class and the mom was ecstatic that she had me again. Her name is Hannah. Loved her so much, I have a Hannah. When I'm at work, I'm so focused, frazzled actually, that I don't get much "social" time in.
After my first full week, 3 days, I figured out all our systems. I now know where music class, how to do attendance online (a new system that hates me), how to deal with detention, give spelling tests, and so on. I will say I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated with the pace of 4th grade and being that it's not my class, I can't do things how I would if I could. We gave 5 tests this week, 5! Seriously? It's the second full week of school. Sometimes the assessment demands just drive me nuts! Asking for 30 minutes of reading a day that can't fit in because we have too many other things to teach/assess? Ugh.
These are the days I miss kindergarten.
But I don't miss a lot about kindergarten either, like the numbers game. Every year, I am collaborating with every kindergarten teacher I know about their numbers. "What number are you at? Do you think you'll have a pm? Do we have enough for our room to make it a go?" Seriously the stresses of kindergarten numbers are ridiculous! So many friends have had to move schools or change grade levels last minute, I'm talking a day or two before school, because of numbers! My last year in kinder I had 5 or so students bussed from liberty lake each day. The poor kids spent probably an hour on the bus each day just because I was the lucky one to have the extra "over flow" class. Numbers, numbers, numbers!
Any who back to the jobshare, in an effort to get to know her better, we did a few "play/sleep" dates. The babies slept, she had her first in february, and we chatted about school. The first week, we worked most of it together. We had a Learning Improvement Day (LID) and a teacher work day. It was fun to get to know her better and the team. She told me what to do because at this point I just wanted to get teaching so I was putting up bulletin boards, posters, stuffing desks full of supplies, and most importantly organizing my books. It's VERY important to have a full classroom library! I was always asking "Okay, now what can I do?" So weird to be asking and not initiating but whatever I'm part time baby!
The first day we taught together and it was a blast! I love her personality and I thought we meshed well. The kids loved it and we got 3 emails or so from parents thanking us for an awesome first day. I was encouraged! I taught solo one day and then had a few days off! My second week was rough, real rough. I couldn't find things, I didn't know how I should teach the math, kids behavior were getting worse, and so on. Through a long week, 3 days, I learn most of these systems! I'm used to know where to go and where my things are and I was left a bit frantic!
On top of that, my two kids ended up with fevers. Yeah for the first week of school!
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| Hudson sick |
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| Hannah sick |
Obviously both kids handle being sick a bit differently. Hudson's fever turned into croup, again.
Hannah, well a fever that started at 3 am turned into four molars cutting all at once. It was so nice to know that they had a good 5 days at home and I didn't have to push them to go to daycare.
I'm so thankful for this opportunity. I love my new school, staff, and teaching partner. I received a plant on my desk welcoming me to Adams my first day. They are seriously the nicest staff. My new administrator checks in often, fixes my document camera which started smoking on Friday the 13th, yes smoking, and helps me with attendance! He's so supportive and wants us to succeed! I'm excited for this new chapter in my life.
I'm so blessed with this opportunity! I prayed for God to guide me in our future decisions for our family. I specifically prayed that if I had the opportunity for a job share, I knew it would a clear answer to head back to work. God is amazing and I can't describe the gratitude I have.
Let the good times roll!
