Today is Heavy Heart Day! What in the world does that mean? Well...Tomorrow marks WEEK TWO in Duval County, although I never really stopped working for the district all summer which is a FIRST for me! Heavy Heart Day is a dash of hyperbole (it probably weighs the same, LOL), a dash of a melancholic tone, and a big dash of realism because my 2 daily enalaprils (for blood pressure) and my 1 daily actenol (heart palps) don't seem to be cutting it anymore. My emotional state is affecting my physical state. The dash of hyperbole IS my reality, and my heart seems to be dragging down to the soles of my feet! Wow! Aren't you glad you signed on to my post today! So, check out my picture. and that's me to the right looking all transparent, while still remarkably cute! Here I am in Coconut Grove in South Florida, a wonderful little eccletic shopping/eating/drinking district....and they have Peacock Park where all the residents decorate peacocks! How cute is that! The poster says WE DON'T SEE THINGS AS THEY ARE, WE SEE THEM AS WE ARE. So, when trying to analyze this little "kid art" picture, I'm thinking the BIG flower represents the BIG PICTURE, and the LITTLE insignificant droopy flower (LF - little flower) is me wondering where do I fit in to the grand scheme of things....I suspect that LF just hasn't been able to establish her place in the garden of education, so to speak, and LF is suffering! Excuse my French, but Week One has been a bitch! My new role as Reading Coach (which I started late January of last year) is way different this year. For one thing, I started with the new school year, so I won't have to hear the "you're new. we have a plan, so just do what we tell you." For the five months of last year, I was a glorified admin type and a bobble head...I was looking forward to this year to pioneer some new things with the reading department and to use my expertise, because in theory, that's why they brought me on board! I don't think that's gonna be the case. I mentioned the poisonous snake in my last post and she's back! English background? NO! Reading endorsement? NO! Previous high school teaching experience? NO! More than five years experience in education? NO! Principal Pet? Absolutely! So, we have already had a battle of wills over a Reading Testing Schedule and it looks like she won! What's upsetting is it shouldn't be a win/lose situation since in theory we are all on the same team...However, apparently she got in a tiff with one of my reading teachers OFF CAMPUS and has brought in ON CAMPUS telling me that she doesn't care about my reading teachers AT ALL...isn't that a grown up attitude? (The good news is that I'm teaching a college class again this semester, ENC 1102, and I've already decided to worm my way into a full time gig in that capacity. That's my BIG FLOWER!)...So, back to school tomorrow for a week of testing and defending myself....It seems that education has less and less to do with making sense and being student centered and more and more to do with endless testing, data tattoos, and disgruntled people in charge! I'm going to church now then hopefully I'll feel better and get some great encouragement....Regardless, on Friday, THIS Friday, Mr. Man and I will be together for 5 days in Gainesville and St. Augustine....
Awww...looks like we are just two "FUNK"y ladies! (pun totally intended!) I hear ya with the snake in the grass. This past school year, our Special Education department got a new Chairperson...no one knows how she even got the job...totally unqualified, and a personality as cold as ice. She, by the way, was one of the people who recommended that I not recieve tenure...based on??? She did not observe me even once, she did not review my portfolio...she apparently had the biggest say however, as my actual principal and union rep went to the superintendent for me, and my principal was in tears when she told me that I was not getting tenure. I know a LOT of unhappy people at that school who are being squeezed out by her...so I guess this may have been a blessing in disuguise, because I know I would not have been happy working under her! Anyway, I know you will stand your ground and always stick up for what is right, and principal's pets can not get past the qualification challenge for long...eventually they HAVE to do their job at some point...right? I hope thngs get better for you, and I know all will be right in the world as you having some sex on the beach (the drink..lol)(pun NOT intended) with Mr. Man by your side!! XOXO
ReplyDeleteThe body-mind connection is more closely related than we give it credit for.... Everything is interrelated....Stress always does a number on me physically....Every time I succomb to it, I wonder why I don't do yoga to calm me down...How about a massage, Cin???....You need to take care of YOU!...As for that craptacular co-worker...She might have won the battle, but the war is still yours for the taking....I like to think that good people prevail, we might just have to wait a while to see the downward spiral occur....What a way to start the school year....I had a stressful week myself --which I will spew about in my next blog for a little girlfriend therapy ...I am happy that the college class in looking like your next springboard...You have a fabulous 5 days in the very near future with your guy....Let him take care of you---you need a little pampering...Also, you are right, ADORABLE pic of you at Monty's....I want to hear about your getaway details when you are back xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteLynds.... I feel aweful about your tenure situation...People like that don't even care that they are effin with your career....I saw a very similar situation occur with one of my best teacher friends and our old principal....She went from being in the principal's good graces, to having our former reading specialist do a number on her and poof!, she was then perceived as being an aweful teacher...The only thing that made it better was the principal getting a job at another school...That reading specialist moved on to another district as well and where I have a connection....She is viewed as a backstabbing tattle there as well...Some never learn.... You will get a fresh start in your next placement...Chat soon, A.
Ha Ha! There are a lot of Admin wannabes in the system. It's a shame really! When I was evalutated (should be in air quotes) after 2 months at the new school, the principal kept saying WE decided...Then he would say I meant I...He never saw me do one thing..(I mean, of course I did one thing, plenty of one things, he just never saw them.) He wouldn't even take my sparkling eval from my old school where I had been for over 5 months!!! Still, in this position, the people that count on me for coaching, support services, etc., are GOLDEN! We are quite the team and it feels really good! Yesterday I was told that I was in charge of this huge assessment for the next two weeks. So, I've been scheduling, loading endless students into the test bank, you get the idea...We have had 2 very good days and we have a plan...Now he needs to meet with me and craptacular to "fine tune" it?? Did I miss something??? I think the principal is a good person...However, if the school doesn't move at the end of this year, and it can't NOT move, at least for all the reading folks, he will have to move to another school and the rumor is he would take craptacular with him...(funny but true story..she took the admin test and missed it by 6 points in the personality section...and you can't retake it!!!) so today is Wednesday, so Friday, starts the party!!!
ReplyDeleteoh!!! and tool cool! and myself and some friends of mine are going to see Hot Lips Houlihan (Loretta Swit) in a dinner theater play called AMOROUS CROSSINGS....talk about art imitating life...at least for the weekend! LATER! lynds...keep us posted about the job situation....while enjoying the full time job as MOM....