Skip to main content

Transitions

When I first became a teacher, I didn't think that I would ever be an administrator. The job of an administrator is very different from that of a teacher. I went into teaching to help students to reach their full potential. Administrators don't work directly with students (at least not in the same way).



But now I'm stepping out of teaching. Next year I'll be Assistant Principal Goertz in charge of curriculum and instruction. What exactly that means I'm still trying to figure out. Some of the things that I will be working with:

  • Standards alignment
  • Observations
  • Professional development
  • Technology integration
  • Testing (AP, PSAT, etc)
  • Course guides and teaching schedules
Very different from day to day teaching and not really at all what I thought that I'd ever be doing.

So why make the change? Over the past few years, I've noticed God directing my talents in directions beyond the classroom. I gained a Master's in Education. I've been called on to serve on various committees. I have been asked to present at several conferences. All of these experiences have shown me that there's an impact I can have on teaching that doesn't involve directly instructing students. I'm very excited to begin (I'll be starting this summer).

I will miss a number of things about being in the classroom:
  • That moment where a student's eyes light up with new understanding
  • Watching the intricate dance of high schoolers as they try to find their way in their society
  • Teaching my students not only the science curriculum, but many other things (etiquette, opera, how to alt/tab out of their games, poetry appreciation, mindfulness)
  • Being able to call myself a science teacher (although my theology teacher friends say that I will still have the substance of a science teacher, merely the form of an administrator (I think I got that right)).
It's going to be a different year. Nothing will be the same. But then again, nothing ever is.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Issues with Harry Potter: Part 4 - The Education System

Okay, maybe it's because I'm not British, but the education system in the Wizarding world makes very little sense to me (a teacher). Granted, the American system doesn't make sense to much of the rest of the world. Here in the US, we don't have college entrance exams, so I won't criticize things like OWLs or NEWTs. However, I am going to have to criticize the entire theory of education. Primary Schooling A Hogwarts letter arrives on a student's 11th birthday (sort of). What are the options for students before they are 11? Rowling says that they may either go to public schools or they are home schooled. It sure seems like most magical parents choose the latter option (most wizards know nothing of the Muggle world, which should not be the case if they attended public school for 6 years). Here we run into our first problem. What exactly are these children being taught? In the US (and from what I can tell, the UK), parents are not required to fol...
Post a Comment
Read more

Analyzing Goertz Memes

 I often find myself on the Savio meme pages. Let's take a look at a few: 1. Handbooks I do read it quite a bit. We do some massive updating each summer. 2. Airpods I'm an Android user myself. I do think of the Airpod memes everything students walk past me wearing their earbuds (against the handbook, by the way). 3. Caaaw! Dr. Garcia started the noise. I don't do it as well. 4. Let it Go Well, yes. I was the one with the microphone and tiara. 5. Blue Shirt/Gold Tie Thank you. I think I look pretty good as well. 6. Saturated Because one time I said that the grass was saturated with rainwater. 7. Lunch There's a lot of lunch memes about me. Yes, I walk up and join conversations. I'm a socially awkward person, but it's allowed when you are an administrator. 8. Doors If you go through the wrong doors, I will find you and I will stop you. 9. History I don't know. Also, apparently my name no longer has a Z. Alright! First post in years.
Post a Comment
Read more

Turning 40

I just turned 40. I am old now. I've always said that age is just a number, but as I approached my birthday earlier this month, I began to feel it.  My left foot (always tricky) started aching more.  I got a weird ganglion cyst (benign) that I didn't even know was possible. I remember my parents' 40th birthday parties. They  were  old. So, logically I must be old too.   I got really into genealogy over the Christmas break*. They used to call being 40 "over the hill". This implies that your life is halfway over and it's just coasting from here (remains to be seen). In my nostalgic mood, here are a few things that I have learned through the wisdom of old age: Politeness pays. It's one of the things that people outside of the South admire about us. Family is really important, although you won't always be friends (Chesterton has some wonderful thoughts on this. Read Heretics , Chapter 14 ). I have found that my relationship with various family members have...
Post a Comment
Read more