A New Position
I just accepted a math TOSA position (grades 5-8) with the Rio School District.I’d spent the last 30 years in the classroom – my school as my second home, my colleagues as my family, my work as my life and identity, but most of all, my students as my children, my babies, my heart.Then, I thought about not having to grade papers and not having to write sub plans when I’m deathly ill. Hell, yeah, I wanna be a TOSA.Other stuff that I will not miss about teaching:
Having that patent nightmare, always the week before school starts
Finding my lunch in the microwave at 3:00 PM because I’d forgotten about it
Ignoring and hanging up on any and all nature calls
Feeling guilty on the weekend for not preparing for Monday’s lesson, and feeling guilty on all weeknights when I haven't worked on the next day's lesson
Hearing students coming back from an absence and asking, “Did you do anything? Did I miss anything?”
Hearing students ask the day before the grading period ends, even though it’s a widely-known forbidden question, “Is there any extra credit?”
Pretending to laugh at their stale jokes
Lying to them that I’d missed them during winter break
Dreading to open that one parent’s email
Having to choose between sleep or exercise because God gave teachers fewer hours
I’m excited to embark on this ambitious assignment. I hope to support the teachers by meeting them where they are, and if they’re always at happy hour, I’m willing to work with that. I’m in this to listen to their concerns and ideas and will try my best to refrain from uttering nobody cares. It’s imperative that we build our relationships on trust and respect, and plus one on the respect if they cheer for my #GoDucks too. I look forward to a co-teaching model that honors the students’ contributions and their rights to the best versions of us, if not the best education. I will remind us about self-care.
Many thanks already to Jeff Linder and Andrew Stadel for answering more questions about math coaching than I knew to ask.Let’s have a fantastic year of learning and supporting each other, all while cheering on one team – STUDENTS.