I’m so
excited to be at my new placement, especially after our first observation day
on Friday! My last placement was going through a hard time with teacher
changes, standards transitions, and more students than usual, so a lot of the
teachers were stressed and overwhelmed. This led to more negative thoughts than
normal for those teachers. While I never felt overwhelmed by any negativity at
that placement, I’m so excited to see how positive everyone is at my new
placement. My teacher was very welcoming, as was the rest of the second grade
team. She introduced me to a lot of people at the school, and the
administration and staff were also very welcoming. All of the teachers plan
together and are interested in each other as people, not just as colleagues.
I’m also
excited to be in an elementary school. Over the last few months, I found out
that I liked middle school a lot more than I thought I would, and I would even
consider teaching in a middle school if that were where there was a job
available. However, after spending some time in elementary school, I realize
how much I love working with younger children, especially in a self-contained
classroom. Teachers are able to create deeper relationships with their students
because they spend all day together. The level of trust is a lot higher in
these classrooms. I realize that these teachers have been working all year on
creating a welcoming and safe environment for the students to get to this
level, but I can’t wait to learn about how they created that environment. I’m
just really excited to work with younger students in such a positive
environment.
Heather, I feel ya. With my mentor teacher at my last placement, but also our grade team in general, I witnessed more stress and negative emotions towards students and other teachers/administration than positive ones. I have already been blown away by the positivity at my new placement--all around! Two major ways that I have noticed a vast difference in teacher attitude are in the personal relationships that I see formed between the teachers and their students (past and present) as well as the in the grade team, faculty, S Team, and faculty meetings at my new school compared to those at my previous placement.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to personal relationships between students and teachers, I see positivity and love everywhere! My teacher has been at Hickman for a long time, so she knows essentially all of the students. During her hallway duty at dismissal, she is almost nonstop saying goodbye to individual students and calling them by name. Beyond that, though, she also asks many students specific and personal questions about how things are going since she no longer sees them every day. I have witnessed similar actions and attitudes in most of the other faculty at Hickman. There is just such a positive community. Even the "tough" kids get the care and understanding that the "easier to love" students do.
Also, as mentioned above, the teacher-to-teacher and teacher-to-administration interactions are overwhelmingly more positive and respectful than those that I experienced in my previous placement. There is meaningful teamwork and cooperation as well as an overall positive atmosphere, even when there are particular hard days or particularly heartbreaking or upsetting situations. After the grade team meetings at my previous school, I left feeling disheartened and uncomfortable. However, at Hickman's faculty meeting after school on Monday, I left feeling even more positive about the overall environment at Hickman than I had before. It is evident that teachers and administration feel comfortable around each other and respect each other. But beyond that, it is clear that the #1 focus is on teaching and caring for the students.
You go, girl! Or as I would say to my students, "YGG!" It can be really difficult to maintain positivity in a negative learning environment, and really contagious in a positive environment! Good for you for looking at the positives. I think one of the things I've learned that has resonated the most with me is about learning/working environments and attitudes. Attitudes are SO contagious, and I'm sure you're enthusiasm and bright attitude cheers up everyone around you - your mentor teacher, the other teachers on your grade level team, AND your students!
ReplyDeleteIt's also great that you are reflecting on the types of scenarios and factors that are making the positive environment possible. Like I said at our dinner at Chuy's last week - it's great to notice the types of things at schools and in classrooms that make the places positive environments, because that's where you will want to work in the future!