This week my AP of curriculum called to ask about placement of a student in Language Live. After our conversation, I asked him what I would be teaching next year.
Keep in mind, I NEVER usually know this until at least a week ahead of school starting.
Andy told me he had me teaching all Inside curriculum -- level 2 students. Fine, as that is my wheelhouse. Sadly, we are going to a horrendous 6X6 schedule, which is difficult to fathom. All that starting and stopping, all day long!
Anyway, Andy told me I'd have four classes of 6th graders, and six classes of 7/8 graders. As I had already suspected, I will no longer be teaching creative writing. He said, "I need you in reading."
Of course, I knew that. I had just been holding out a teeny bit of hope.
When I got off the phone, I told Jim and he suggested I start a creative writing club. I was like, hell yeah! Why not? So I'm thinking about that, and already have some support from admin.
The good part I see here: I am used to the Inside curriculum, and know how to apply the standards and bump it up.
I can stick to my overall foundation for the course I found in an article in an ASCD magazine I got at the conference last year: Identity, Mastery, and Creativity.
I will basically have one prep for the first time since the 2007-08 school year. Of course, I know I will be doing slightly different things for the younger kids, but in general the prep is the same.
The not so good part: I like variety in my days. These will be too much alike. I will have to work hard not to be bored!
I have always found it hard to remember what I told to what classes when I've taught too many alike. It used to happen when I taught 6/7. Now with 10/12...I'm going to have to take copious notes!
Andy said he'd tried to keep the classes to 22. So, 220 students, more or less. More than I've ever had.
But I've surprised myself in that none of this bothers me. I've been sitting with this for days and it's okay. I feel that these past few months, actually since the beginning of this year, I have learned better than ever how to roll with things. I just don't feel the emotions I used to feel about this stuff. Now I know in a deeper way I can get through anything, as long as my heart and soul are in the right place.
I know what I want my kids to achieve in my class: Identity, Mastery, and Creativity. With a clear vision, anything can be accomplished. No doubt, we will get there, calmly and with purpose.
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