Yesterday afternoon/evening, I met with my new ESL team for my new job. How did I get so lucky to have two amazing people to work with on this new journey? For real, they are fabulous and I'm blessed to get to work with them both.
One was on my interview panel. I did my demo lesson in her HS ESL class. She invited me and our colleague to her house for dinner and mojitos. (You know they had me at mojitos, right?)
It was super fun and informal, which was perfect. Just getting to know each other on a different level without the formality of being at work was really quite lovely. I also learned a bit about my new role.
Surprise! I'll mostly be working in the middle school! I find this to be hilariously ironic because the very day I applied to my new district I had a disastrous interview with another district for a middle school ESL position. It wasn't disastrous because I didn't know my stuff, it was disastrous because they were not welcoming AT ALL and I didn't feel comfortable in that space. The other EL teacher pointedly asked me if I felt like I could connect to middle schoolers having really only taught elementary (to be fair I have worked with middle schoolers as a sub and in summer school). I just find irony in the fact that she asked me that and here I am with a middle school position.
I will also support one of the elementary buildings two to three days per week depending on the needs of the ELs there, but for the most part, my home will be the middle school. I am SUPER stoked for this because I've wanted to transition to middle school for a long time, but never really had the chance.
This role will also allow me to (sort of) keep my toes dipped in elementary so it'll be the best of both worlds, I think.
Without knowing exact numbers/needs, I will most likely have 1-2 classes at the middle school where I teach an ESL class. It will for sure be 1 class but could be 2 since the 6th grade is moving into the middle school and my colleague didn't work with the elementary last year so isn't 100% sure on the numbers/needs for that group. So for sure 1 class, possibly 2 where I'll have a bigger group and we will work on strategies and things like that. The rest of my time will be spent doing push-in co-teaching at the middle school or at the elementary building. I do know I'll have a classroom at the elementary school so it's not unlikely that I could do some pull-out as well depending upon schedules and needs.
I am super excited though. I think this is the perfect move for me -- I'm still teaching but I'm not confined to one room all day every day with the same kiddos. Don't get me wrong, I have loved my time in elementary but I'm so ready for a change and a challenge and I am confident that I have found it.
My new team and I are scheduling another day to get together formally in August so we can visit our respective schools, see our spaces, and hopefully start to navigate the data and information for our students. I expect to be pretty lost/confused/overwhelmed the first few weeks of my new job as I figure out my schedule and balancing my two schools, but I'm excited to dig in.
Here's to lots of opportunities to learn and grow.
One was on my interview panel. I did my demo lesson in her HS ESL class. She invited me and our colleague to her house for dinner and mojitos. (You know they had me at mojitos, right?)
It was super fun and informal, which was perfect. Just getting to know each other on a different level without the formality of being at work was really quite lovely. I also learned a bit about my new role.
Surprise! I'll mostly be working in the middle school! I find this to be hilariously ironic because the very day I applied to my new district I had a disastrous interview with another district for a middle school ESL position. It wasn't disastrous because I didn't know my stuff, it was disastrous because they were not welcoming AT ALL and I didn't feel comfortable in that space. The other EL teacher pointedly asked me if I felt like I could connect to middle schoolers having really only taught elementary (to be fair I have worked with middle schoolers as a sub and in summer school). I just find irony in the fact that she asked me that and here I am with a middle school position.
I will also support one of the elementary buildings two to three days per week depending on the needs of the ELs there, but for the most part, my home will be the middle school. I am SUPER stoked for this because I've wanted to transition to middle school for a long time, but never really had the chance.
This role will also allow me to (sort of) keep my toes dipped in elementary so it'll be the best of both worlds, I think.
Without knowing exact numbers/needs, I will most likely have 1-2 classes at the middle school where I teach an ESL class. It will for sure be 1 class but could be 2 since the 6th grade is moving into the middle school and my colleague didn't work with the elementary last year so isn't 100% sure on the numbers/needs for that group. So for sure 1 class, possibly 2 where I'll have a bigger group and we will work on strategies and things like that. The rest of my time will be spent doing push-in co-teaching at the middle school or at the elementary building. I do know I'll have a classroom at the elementary school so it's not unlikely that I could do some pull-out as well depending upon schedules and needs.
I am super excited though. I think this is the perfect move for me -- I'm still teaching but I'm not confined to one room all day every day with the same kiddos. Don't get me wrong, I have loved my time in elementary but I'm so ready for a change and a challenge and I am confident that I have found it.
My new team and I are scheduling another day to get together formally in August so we can visit our respective schools, see our spaces, and hopefully start to navigate the data and information for our students. I expect to be pretty lost/confused/overwhelmed the first few weeks of my new job as I figure out my schedule and balancing my two schools, but I'm excited to dig in.
Here's to lots of opportunities to learn and grow.
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