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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.

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