I have been checking my IG account a bit, but blogging has not been possible. I hope you had not forgotten about me :)
Let's go back to January.... I decided it was time to update my resume... you know, to look for a 'new' job.I decided that teaching is totally my thing, so the only thing I could think of, was to apply at the school my own two children attend. I gathered my fresh updated resume, my five letters of recommendation, my references, and asked the administrator (I guess private schools do not have principals) for five minutes of her time.
One nice cold day in January I handed her my paperwork. I think she was a bit surprised but nicely chatted with me about her school. I knew much about her school through a parent's eye, but I had questions as a possible future staff member. I was told the chances were not good. The school is small (about 250-300 kids) and teachers do love it there. I left knowing I would probably never get an interview nor a job :(
March came around and I had heard nothing from them. I had given up. My husband and I had been discussing plan B,C, and D by then. Sure enough, I get a phone call asking if I wanted to interview for a position. I am pretty sure I interrupted the lady on the phone before she could change her mind. My family and I went on our cruise and the day after we came back, I sat in front of 5 nice ladies (all administrators of the other campuses in the area). I was glad the administrator from my kids' school was there. She made me feel much more comfortable. So, they asked me if I was interested in being a Spanish teacher. I quickly explained to them that teaching Spanish had never been my ideal. I have always wanted my own classroom, and being a specialist was not what I was really looking for. Some people thought I was crazy for not taking the opportunity to get out of the classroom, but like I said... I belong in the classroom. We continued with the interview, and said our good byes.
A day later, I receive an e-mail with a job offer. I called them back and they offered me a job as a part time intervention assistant, and part time K-5 Spanish teacher. I quickly accepted, but beg them to keep me in mind in case a classroom job came available. I am going to be totally honest with you, I was not thrilled, I was excited to have the opportunity to get my foot in the door, but not thrilled.
I then received my contract in the mail. I called them to clarify some things and then received a new offer. I then, once again, said yes as fast as I could!
Meet the newest Third Grade Teacher with a Second Grade Blog :)
Making the decision to say yes was easy. Understanding that I was about to leave my home for the last 8 years was not. I will not lie and tell you that everything was peachy at my old school. There were a billion things that made me doubt my decision to leave on the daily basis. It was my home. My happy place. I cried. I talked it out. I convinced myself. I asked for advice. I wrote a pros/cons list.... It was still so painful. I knew I could not continue to be my best if I stuck around, so I decided to let it go and believe that everything had happened for a reason. Once I signed my contract, I then shared it with my team. My amazing team of women who had put up with me for years. I am not easy to be around sometimes :) I am too passionate for some. LOL
I also shared the news with my students and with the closest parents I had worked with for years. My heart ached for days. I am still in a bit of painful denial. I miss my friends. I miss those who know me inside out. I miss the comfort they brought to me. I miss my feeling of belonging...but I know I will get there in my new school.
The hardest day was going to the office and hugging my assistant principal. I cried. We cried. I said good bye to my friends. I had not cried like that in a long time. I walked rapidly to my car and let it all out. I was having a hard time breathing. I was in pain. I still am.
I had 5 days off between school years. Let's talk about exhaustion! Everything at the new school is different. Everything. Not in a bad way, just different. They use textbooks. I had never held a reading or math textbook in the last ten years of my career. They have leveled classrooms. They have amazing high expectations that fit my personality ( I have always been the strict teacher). They do not have a cafeteria. I have one team member instead of 5 or 7. She is amazing and I could not have had survived without her. Thank you Ms. B.!!!
Everyone has been super welcoming and sweet. I am going through training and all sorts of new information. My head is about to explode, but I am HAPPY! My own to kids are thrilled mom works at their school now :)
I miss my second graders, but third graders are not bad.at.all. :) and kids in school uniforms!!!
I am sorry for the long novel. If you have been following my blog, you know my posts are short and sweet :)
Here's to an amazing year... To learning. To more time with my family. To new friends. To professional growth. To happiness.
Wishing you an amazing school year!
Love,