It's the last day of school and I am sitting at my desk wondering what to do next. I have posted all my grades, desks and tables and chairs are cleaned out, really the only thing I have left to do is a final inventory of all my computers and to create a few online courses for next year. But really, I would much rather leave early today and do all that tomorrow. I mean, I have to be here so I might as well have something to do to be productive, right? Right.
This year has been interesting. I started out the year working as an aide at one of the elementary schools because I couldn't even FIND a certified special ed teaching position within 50 miles of my house. So, I took the aide job. Honestly, I wasn't too thrilled about the MASSIVE pay cut, but I was just glad to have a job.
Work started on a Monday. On Wednesday, I got a call from my friend that taught in this new program for at-risk students. She was having a meltdown because she was having too much conflict with her coworkers, and was thinking about resigning and retiring. I told her to stick with it for the kids and to hang in there. Then, Friday morning, I was leaving the elementary school to go to a meeting about tutoring services I was providing for a high school student. (Anything to make extra money, right?) As I was sitting down in the meeting, I got a text from my friend that said, "I just resigned." I didn't have time to call her and find out what happened or anything at all. The meeting I was in went just fine, and before I left, the classroom phone rang. It was the superintendent. She wanted me to come meet with her. Insert panic here.
So I went to the meeting. She and I talked for close to an hour about the program and she told me she wanted me to sub in there until they could find a replacement, but that if I truly liked it and would be willing to take the job, I would most likely get it. She wanted me to go straight to this new program right away, meet the kids, and pretty much start that day. On my way to this program, I had to call my friends at the elementary school and let them know that I wouldn't be able to bring lunch and explained the situation. They were very supportive and happy for me, which was so nice.
I arrived to pure chaos. The kids were upset that their teacher had just resigned and they didn't know what was going to happen to the program. I talked to them and explained that I would be there for at LEAST a few days. Well, long story short, I fell in love with these kids. When the superintendent called at the end of the day to check on me, I told her right then that I wanted this job and that these kids needed me. She understood and told me to put in a request for a transfer. And the rest, as they say, is history.
This has been a year of ups, downs, laughs, tears, failures, but most importantly, successes. I have 3 students that were labeled dropouts who will be receiving high school diplomas on Friday night at graduation. I could not be more proud of them. I love my students like they are my own kids, and I love knowing that they know what it takes to succeed in school and in life. We've had some do-better talks, but those were few and far between. I loved having kids that would confide in me, come to me for advice, ask me how to resolve a conflict, and would allow me to celebrate each milestone with them. This morning, I got a picture of a beautiful baby boy on my phone. One of my students had her baby. I can't wait to meet him over the summer. I love teaching, even when it's hard and overwhelming, because the rewards are totally awesome.
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