The ID (intellectual disability) Cluster that I work in has a team of 8 adults that work with our kids on a daily basis. In addition to these 8, we have other support staff such as social workers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, counselors, and tutoring services. But the 8 core teachers and aides are the ones who have at least one class they teach to our kids everyday. Yesterday, 6 of the 8 were present for our first day of professional development. 7 of the 8 were accounted for. 1 was missing.
Today, we had the same attendance. This was unnerving. This feeling changed to anger and frustration when I learned that the 1 missing had quit the day before professional development started. I was even more upset that I was not informed of such things. I am the ID Cluster Leader and I have two days of professional development that are set aside just for me and my staff. Missing 1 person is not something I planned for.
I of course began frantically calling and emailing people, trying to find a teacher to put in this vacant position. Once I had a few candidates, I went and spoke with my principal who was interested in someone he interviewed for a different position last week and hadn't initially accepted. Unfortunately, that teacher is now at another school. My search continues...
I knew it was all too good to be true. I am in the newly renovated area of my school. I have a beautiful classroom, with brand new desks, shelving and cabinets built into the wall, a new teacher laptop and screen, a student laptop (theoretically I'm getting another as well), a laser jet printer, a phone, cloth bulletin boards, 2 white boards, filing cabinets (yes, plural), beautiful windows, control over my central heating, amplification equipment so that I can wear a microphone while I'm teaching, and a promethean (smart) board. And I also received a key to my classroom, all my cabinets, and my filing cabinets.
This is the unbelievable upgrade from my classroom with old graffitied desks (many of which were broken), a filing cabinet that I purchased myself, a laptop that had missing pieces, a white board that didn't erase without industrial cleaner, a chalk board, stolen book shelves from other classrooms, mouse poop in one corner, a roof that leaked when it rained in another, no student laptops (they used mine if we did a computer activity), lights that weren't always on or working, heat sometimes, a/c window unit that we prayed worked every day, windows you couldn't see out of because they were so dirty, cement walls that NOTHING stuck to, a key I received 1.5 years after I started (because my door broke off the hinges and when it was replaced, the repairman gave me a key, not my administration), and the list goes on.
The amount of times I've gotten so overwhelmed with positive emotions that I've gotten teary eyed in the past week is embarrassing. Our children deserve all of these amazing things. They really do. They also deserve a full staff dedicated to them and DYING to teach them. I can say that is true for 7 of us. But I guess the eighth couldn't even show up to give us a chance. They didn't show up to give our children a chance. I guess they did us a favor, because if they don't even have the courage to show up for a day and give our team a chance or show up for our children, we don't want them in the cluster. Our children deserve better than that.
The latest and greatest is that central office cut the 3rd teacher position in the cluster. We brainstormed for two days and have come up with a plan. We're pretty confident it's going to work. Make it happen with what you've got and where you've got it.
Game on.
Game on.
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