Adjourning

As a classroom teacher, I constantly find myself working within groups. Some groups can't adjourn quick enough, whereas others leave me hoping for future collaborations. Several years ago I had worked on a teaching team that was unlike any other team I had worked within. Each of the team members had their own individual style and personality, yet everyone was able to express their ideas just as respectfully as they had listened to the ideas of others. The levels of commitment towards the common visions, and trust for one another was totally unparalleled. When our school year came to an end, 3 of the 4 members on the team were leaving the school to pursue further career goals. Throughout the year, we had worked to support each other in countless ways. Yet, now, we were moving on. This process of adjourning our teamwork allowed for closure in our work together, but also left me feeling as though we were placing a doormat in front of a perpetually unlocked supply closet. Although we were leaving one another, we had left our team in a state of constant connection: we became fully capable of continuing on our contact and providing support to one another in the years to come. 

When my M.S. program at Walden U. is complete, I imagine that I will once again place a doormat outside of my supply closet for each of my new colleagues. Though my time in our classes will be no longer, I will work to remain in contact and available to continue to collaborate with the many great minds I have met along my studies. This very process of adjourning is what allows for the positive growth in our work together to remain alive, and for future support systems to germinate. 

Conflict in Context

This year marks my first year as a kindergarten teacher. I've now taught at a different grade/age level each 5 years of my short career. In different ways, each new year brings an onslaught of new challenges. Though, this year has proven to be particularly challenging. Much of my struggles have come from my own weaknesses in managing my organization, understanding curricula, and grasping certain policies of my kindergarten program. When thinking about any disagreements or conflicts that I have recently experienced, I can't pinpoint many, but I think that has a lot to do with my perception of many situations. (I seem to have build a frame-of-mind where I've been placing a lot of blame on my own shortcomings when trying to manage my challenges at work. More specifically, until I've tried to pinpoint the root of the challenge, I don't feel comfortable enough to confront it. This in itself is a challenge in communication I now see new ways to overcome!) 

Though, there is one thing that I have not been able to shake: one of my students has struggled greatly this year, and despite my following of the intervention and response process, I have just been informed that he will not be receiving a formal evaluation, even though it has now been clearly identified how beneficial mandated services will be for this child. When the LDTC (who is also a case manager) informed me of this, I was a combination of furious and sad: I have been working with the Intervention & Response Services (I&RS) team since October to address challenges that, though they may not be strictly academic, were, are, and will be seriously impeding this child's ability to succeed independently. The determination of the team, is that because he has made such great progress, and is only now scoring below benchmark standards academically, there will not be enough time to complete paperwork and perform an evaluation prior to the end of the school year. This information was all presented to me the day before Spring Break began. It was shared with me 5 minutes before my prep was ending, and no clear follow up was determined.

After the red, hot rage subsided, I've had time to sit and think about what I can and should do from now until the start of this child's first grade year. I know now that I must return to school next week, and speak with the LDTC to determine a compromise. I need to make sure that, unlike several instances I have experienced in the past, this child does not get forgotten come Sept. 3, 2016. Having fought so hard this year to allow for my student to be given the best opportunities to learn and grow, I do not believe that I should be told that there's nothing more I can do. I will call for a meeting, to seek support from the team from now until an evaluation is going to be completed, even if it is for the next few months. I also know that I have to consider the "whys" regarding why the child cannot be evaluated yet. I have to acknowledge the heavy case load of the small Child Study Team (CST). Because of the nature of this conflict, I think that a wider range of solutions might not be best, as many different approaches have been offered and tried. Though, aside from simply asking for more support or strategies, I believe that entering mediations with a specific focus of support will be most helpful.