Don't wish for it, work hard for it
At twenty four years old, I have landed my dream job.
On Tuesday, I will be starting my very first school year as a Full Time Teacher in a position I could not be anymore grateful to have. Finding a teaching job in New York State is extremely difficult.
Most people substitute for years before landing a full time position, move out of state, or take a job in a school or area they don't desire. I had my fair share of lumps and bumps this past year surviving the substitute teacher and long term substitute life, but looking back, it was all worth it, because every experience got me to where I am today - a classroom and students to call my own!
With a smile on my face and a heart full of gratitude, I am excited to share with all of you that I have been hired as a High School Literacy Specialist and will be teaching a course called Advanced Reading to help 9-12th grade students (mostly special education) become better readers through intensive small group instruction and strategy work. I am the first Literacy Specialist (or Reading Teacher as some schools call it) to be hired for the building in a few years, the joke is that I AM the reading department, since it's just me :) I am not "filling someone else's spot" but instead, this course has just been created which gives me the freedom to create my own curriculum and make all executive decisions on how everything will go. A task that while terrifying, is also incredible - I can do what ever I feel is best and necessary to help my students succeed and that is what all teachers dream of.
I can't help but smile while I type all of this because I am so excited and eager to be starting this next chapter of my life and feel beyond blessed to be living out my dream. I finally have a classroom to call my own, and 60 students <3
As an educator - I have this incredible opportunity to make a difference, to make an impact, and to make students feel important, intelligent, and that they are worth something. By the time most students get to high school - many have a negative attitude about themselves, school and their abilities. This is something I do not take lightly - my teaching extends beyond the given curriculum, but also about my students as individuals. I plan on educating my students on the power of positivity and changing your mindset. My students will set goals for themselves and be responsible for their own learning. (I already have a self-assessment rubric they will fill out daily for their behavior, efforts, and learning). My classroom walls have a few quotes for inspiration, and a borrowed a Growth Mindset Bulletin Board from Pinterest with my own spin on it.
On Tuesday, I will be starting my very first school year as a Full Time Teacher in a position I could not be anymore grateful to have. Finding a teaching job in New York State is extremely difficult.
Most people substitute for years before landing a full time position, move out of state, or take a job in a school or area they don't desire. I had my fair share of lumps and bumps this past year surviving the substitute teacher and long term substitute life, but looking back, it was all worth it, because every experience got me to where I am today - a classroom and students to call my own!
With a smile on my face and a heart full of gratitude, I am excited to share with all of you that I have been hired as a High School Literacy Specialist and will be teaching a course called Advanced Reading to help 9-12th grade students (mostly special education) become better readers through intensive small group instruction and strategy work. I am the first Literacy Specialist (or Reading Teacher as some schools call it) to be hired for the building in a few years, the joke is that I AM the reading department, since it's just me :) I am not "filling someone else's spot" but instead, this course has just been created which gives me the freedom to create my own curriculum and make all executive decisions on how everything will go. A task that while terrifying, is also incredible - I can do what ever I feel is best and necessary to help my students succeed and that is what all teachers dream of.
I can't help but smile while I type all of this because I am so excited and eager to be starting this next chapter of my life and feel beyond blessed to be living out my dream. I finally have a classroom to call my own, and 60 students <3
As an educator - I have this incredible opportunity to make a difference, to make an impact, and to make students feel important, intelligent, and that they are worth something. By the time most students get to high school - many have a negative attitude about themselves, school and their abilities. This is something I do not take lightly - my teaching extends beyond the given curriculum, but also about my students as individuals. I plan on educating my students on the power of positivity and changing your mindset. My students will set goals for themselves and be responsible for their own learning. (I already have a self-assessment rubric they will fill out daily for their behavior, efforts, and learning). My classroom walls have a few quotes for inspiration, and a borrowed a Growth Mindset Bulletin Board from Pinterest with my own spin on it.
I am making a BIG jump from elementary to secondary, and there are a lot of unknowns and times where I will need to 'go with the flow', something I have worked hard on embracing, but still have trouble with. This school year is going to be a challenge, but one that I am ready to take on, and come out even stronger, and better than I was before, not only as an educator, but an individual as well.
While adjusting to life as a first year teacher, the blog will probably take a bit of a back burner. It will still exist, but blog posts may be far and few in between and my presence on all aspects of social media will most likely decline. I say this with a bit of sadness, because I truly enjoy and appreciate all of the love and support that I have gained over the last two years and the friendships I have made, and hope that my absence will not be seen as a lack of care, but rather, a shifting of my focus, so I can give my students my very best.
Thank you, to everyone who has been along for the ride, wishing you all the very best
Until next time, here's a peak at what my classroom looks like:
- Fellow teachers OR parents - tips for handling teenagers?
- Has a job ever pushed YOU out of your comfort zone?
- Yay or Nay on my decor?
- My fellow bloggers - has anyone taken a "break" or decrease from blogging?
