School is out... and looks like it will stay out. I loved this past year. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a teacher. It was insanely crazy!
I worked for a small private Islamic School in our community. I'm not Muslim. I'm not sure what I am, but needless to say, I do not follow any set religion. Coexistence perhaps? Regardless, it was simply a secondary aspect to getting to teach at a school where there were very high expectations for student achievement and teacher skill. It was a chance I jumped at.
The school was small. It was so small, that if one teacher was absent, we all had to cover for each other. We had no substitutes. We were the subs. At least two to three days a week, my prep time was spent covering another class. It meant I was able to work at every grade level through the year, a fabulous opportunity to see the progression children go through day in and day out from kindergarten to high school.
For my own personal reasons, I was most thankful for the support and encouragement to teach in cutting edge ways. Over the years, I've been able to develop patterns and strategies for getting students to ask the important questions that drive their learning. This year, I was able to further refine my approach to an integrated curriculum. As a result, my students generated wonderful unique works to display what they had learned.
Of course, one of the most proud examples I have of that is each student's paperback copy of their NaNoWriMo. They arrived yesterday. I've been re-reading them, remembering the conversations with individual children about how to drive the story, how to edit a phrase, how to format the page in Word, etc. The learning that went on during that project was incredible. In so many ways it wasn't about writing. It was about taking a risk, asking a question of one's self and going on an adventure. That adventure motivated the kids to WANT to get out red pens and edit! Can you imagine it? --Kids who WANT to find commas, draw red lines, circle misspelled words, and reformat entire sentences.... Its a joy!
Next week, I'll send out the NaNo books. Some students live close enough to drive by and hand deliver. It will be a final farewell. It doesn't look like the school will continue next year. I'd like to be there. But, school is out. I'm out of a job and out looking. Given this article regarding the Sacramento region, the prospects for the school like FCS aren't good.
But, I'm a teacher. I'll find a way to teach-- and trust that the right one will be there for me.
