Lunch Box vs. Academic/Social Behavior

Since last Friday, Roommate #2 and I have received phone calls from a parent every day after school.
No, not to ask about homework.
No, not to see if the student completes classwork.
No, definitely not to say hello and meet his new teachers.
No, not to discuss why he kicked another student.
He never talks back to adults or when the teacher is talking, so it wasn't to
discuss that.

It was to ask us about his dang on LUNCH BOX!!! I need to pray...

*Jas*

New beginnings...

This year I'm teaching 4th grade! Yaaay!!! Or not...

If teaching at a charter school wasn't hard enough, NOW I get the opportunity to teach in a testing grade. And not just any testing grade, but the one that gets students into the city's best (or worst) middle schools. It's kind of cool that these are the same students that I had my first year teaching when they were in second grade. There's older, hopefully more mature, and so am I! I mean, isn't that why my school's leadership team put me in this position, because they knew I'd succeed? Or did they put me there to burn me out of teaching for good and serve me up on a silver platter? From the looks of today, I'd say the latter.

My first day was not only filled with endless technology mishaps, but I had the pleasure of meeting with the a group of people that disregarded my previous experience with this group of students and the fact that most behaviors were magnified from it being the first day of school!

I'm not liking it... not one bit! However, I do believe that everything happens for a reason and there is usually a lesson in such unfortunate circumstances. And so I pray...

*Jas*

Umma do me...

Last month I visited an old high school buddy. This buddy is very talented in the restaurant industry and has traveled a lot. He has finally settled down in Naples, Florida and finds himself quite content. In addition to being in sunshine and warm weather everyday, he is going what he loves to do, working hard, and is getting the props he deserves. His new place of employment is so posh, that you need to have a membership to eat his delightful meals. I, his best friend, couldn't even dine in his restaurant...humf! I did however, get some great breakfast and frozen pizzas. He also treated me to some great seafood places on the Gulf. I love dining with him because he knows so much about food & beverages that it makes a regular eating experience ten times better!

The best part of the entire trip was seeing my buddy happy, smiling from the inside because was now at a place in his life where he can just... do him!

Is your career like that?

Get your perks!

A great benefit of being a professional are the conferences. This weekend, I will be heading to this beautiful resort for an education conference! Great networking is to be done, along with beautiful sites to see.

What perks does your career have?

Balance: Work & Life

Lately, my co-workers and I have been discussing the difficulties of balancing our careers with our personal lives. The big lady split from her long time boyfriend because of her work commitments, and my co-teacher is concerned with the lack of time she is spending with her children. And then it's me... I leave work at a decent hour (6ish), stop at the gym, run some errands, chill at home, enjoy an evening outing a once or twice a week, and find myself in bed at a decent hour. No doubt, last year I had some time management issues, but this year I feel that I have a lot of extra down time. I even find myself taking on extra projects to keep myself busy.

Perhaps it's the new "F*ck it!* mindset-- if it gets done, it gets done and if it doesn't I'll have tomorrow. I just know I'm more productive and happier when I have all bases covered in my personal and professional life. I love my job, but I also love my overall life. This leads me to think, maybe some people are in the wrong career. Some people choose their career for the wrong reasons: to make a parent happy, to show others how you feel about a certain issue, to network with people in power, etc. I believe that your career should be personally fulfilling, not constraining.

So, ask yourself, Do I have a deeply fulfilling career?

*Touched*

I heard the words,
Saw his lips moving,
and heard his voice.
It was not the same voice I heard weeks before.
I was on the brink of tears.
It was beautiful!
He read the passage in 38 seconds with NO mistakes!
Overwhelmed with pride and excitement
Our hands met mid air for a congratulation high-five.
His sliver of silver in his eyes and dimpled smile
Showed determination and a promise for great things.
Today, I loved being a teacher :)

Does your career have purpose? Do you feel fulfilled?

Quitters!

Teaching...teaching...teaching! Over my first two years as a teacher, I have learned so much about myself. During the first year, I learned that I am a planner and that in education it is important to be flexible and adaptable. This year, I am seeing the importance of that lesson more and more everyday. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues have not been able to grasp this concept and are finding themselves quite fed up. So much that, two teachers have already quit this year.

When I first heard the news, I was saddened because both were great additions to the staff. But next, I felt invincible! I had survived longer than those weaklings! I feel that my tenacity and dedication to the movement has carried me through the good times and the very very bad. However, I realized that these qualities make me no better than these other teachers. This mix of emotion reminded me of a time during undergrad where I, too was a quitter. There was a certain activity in which I was participating that conflicted with all things that I valued at the time: my education, family, and personal development. Although I had every intention to finish and continue doing my best in this activity, the conflict it created in my heart made that task unbearable. Upon quitting, I was hurt more by the fact that I had not finished than by the harm that it did to my personal values.

I imagine the two escapees must be feeling similar to how I felt years ago. At this point in my life, I can't think of anything that is worth participating in if it doesn't bring you some type of joy, satisfaction, or self-improvement. Let your passions drive your career!