The Right Choice?

Finally, a contract offer. 

Unfortunately, only part time at Bethune, plus two additional days teaching P.E. at another school.

Why would I turn down full-time employment???

Because I do not want to be a P.E. teacher next year, and I do not want my resume to merely list P.E. jobs.

So what's the plan?

Get back to subbing. I can be a substitute on Mondays and Fridays, I can sub at a lot of other schools, I can sub in Santee and Cajon Valley and La Mesa-Spring Valley, I can get back into classrooms and teach!

Typhoon Yolanda Relief

Dear Resume,

First project for our "Give Back Club" really touched home at Bethune. 80% of our school's students are Filipino as well as a few teachers, the Librarian, and most of the parents that help out daily around the campus. Amazingly, not many of our families were directly impacted.
A group of 4th and 5th graders made signs to put up around the campus and decorated jars to put in the classrooms for penny/loose change collection. They also set up a jar in front of the main gates for before and after school and collected from parents as they walked by.

Word of the Month

Dear Resume,

This month's word: Empathy. How does it feel when you win or lose, play well or drop the ball? Can you understand how others feel when they succeed or fail? Special session for the recess football league due to a few players that feel no one should be able to celebrate winning without an answering temper tantrum. hmm...

I made copies of these signs for all the teachers and put them up in various places around the campus.

Math Tutor

Dear Resume,

Started helping tutor a few 6th graders in Math, mostly fractions. Sometimes I wonder why in the world they haven't "got it" yet, other times I think "Dang, this stuff can get confusing!"

Pie In My Eye

...and in my ear, my nose, my shorts, my socks...

Dear Resume,

Was hit by many, many shaving cream pies today. All for a good cause, raising money for the school!

School Website

Dear Resume,

Must have a lot of teachers under Witness Protection, no one wants their info put on the school's website. I even passed out a nice little form asking for the standard teacher bio stuff: subjects taught, years teaching, favorite book, hobbies, educational inspiration, etc.. I thought it would be good for parents, or parents of a potential student, learn something about who is teaching their children. Hmm...

Football Art

Dear Resume,

Recess Football is going well, but like the ubiquitous NFL I want to expand into all areas. Started a "Name the Teams" contest and a football helmet/uniform art exhibit. I go out for morning duty every morning* and so many of the younger grades wanted to play football (the recess league is 4th/5th only) I wanted to let them be involved. Received some creative designs so far:

*Yes, every morning. No, I don't have to. But I get kicked out of my office/boy's locker room since Middle School starts before Elem and my daily prep is fairly easy. Plus this way I have a captive audience for extra projects like this!

Recess Football

Dear Resume,

I know, I know, most teachers cringe at merely the thought of a football on campus. Kids get too competitive, argue and fight, trip and fall, someone loses a tooth.... But I see it as an opportunity to foster good sportsmanship (only team captains discuss differences, arguing means sitting out a week), learning to be a good teammate (I chose the teams, blending boys and girls, 4th and 5th graders, skill and maturity levels), and appreciation of the sport being played for fun. Most of our students have never played any organized sport, while a few of them come from a very competitive sport culture. I am emphasizing getting all team members involved, everyone runs the ball at least once, and creating/practicing plays on days there are no games.

The FFL, Friday Football League, get ready for a recess game

Instructional Learning Team

Dear Resume,

While not an official member of the team (not an official member of the teaching staff either, but that can't stop me!), sat in on first ILT meeting. I want to know about and get involved with the behind the scenes aspect of education also. It's also good to work with the Vice Principal, I'm sure.
 First order of business? This Common Core stuff, and what should the school and teachers being doing to get ready? Seems like there are waaaaayyy more questions than answers at this point.

School Website

Dear Resume,

I'll be working with a couple of Middle School teachers to update and maintain our school's website. I am the "Elementary Liaison" (just to give myself a cool sounding title) getting info and photos for events, field trips, classroom activities, etc. and putting it on the website. I'll also be gathering bio info from all the staff so we can get some pictures and info of who everyone is.

Word of the Month

Dear Resume,

First "Word of the Month" -- put up signs on my board and cart (aka "Mobile Classroom") and discussed with 2nd-5th classes what it means for sports and games. They discussed in small groups, shared ideas whole class, wrote on poster titled "I can show integrity in sports and games by..." 

"Learn it. Know it. Live it."