Thank God it's Spring Break!

Spring Break officially began at 3:00 p.m. today and BOY am I happy! It's been somewhat of a downer week. My kids didn't do as well as I'd hoped on their district benchmark, so I knew what was coming. My principal would be coming around A LOT more. This is to be expected. She hasn't been in a whole lot during the year, so it's natural she'd want to know what was going on. I just dreaded it. There's never anything positive to be said when she comes, it's usually about what I'm not doing.

So, it was somewhat expected at our grade level meeting for something to be said. However, most of the conversation centered around Reading. My teaching partner did an awesome job this year, so the kids are ready. Towards the end of the meeting it became obvious what was coming. My instructional specialist began the conversation with, "Do you have them do UPS Check?" Yes, was my response. The conversation went a little downhill from there. At one point, my principal made the comment that I didn't know how to do the problem solving method RISD has. I'm pretty sure I do, I've been doing for the last 8 years I've been in the district. But I was reminded again that I didn't know how to do it and that I should go and observe 5th grade to see how they do it. No problem I said. I was going to meet with them anyway to see how they do small math groups. I was pretty down after the meeting.

After school I went down to 5th grade to see when a good day to come down and observe them during their math time would be. We decided on the date and time and I told my principal at the PTA meeting that night when I was going to down to observe 5th grade.

I got an email from my principal suggesting a visit during my planning time. No problem. I just needed to get ready for my class and then I could meet. She came down to my room and we met. My principal has a different management style than I'm used to. I"m used to my instructional leader coming out and telling me what they think I need to work on and then helping find the resources to do that. My current principal is into trying to get you to say what you need to work on. The only problem is, I think I'm doing a good job. I'm doing what the district is saying, I'm using the information from Blackboard, I'm using the strategies that they suggest you use when teaching a concept. I'm also getting much better at small groups during math time.

So when she said that she just didn't know where the "disconnect" was between what I was teaching and the performance of the kids, she asked me what I thought it was. Honestly? I think they are not worried about school right now. I think they're thinking about other things like who they're going to ask out, what they're going to do after school, and why it seems their principal doesn't like them. I didn't say that, of course because it would sound like I was making excuses. I know I'm not, and it shouldn't be that way, but gosh darn it not very many people feel like they can say what they think and not get in trouble in some way for it. Instead, I just said I didn't know because I thought I was doing a good job.

Some more things were said, but they're not important. she asked me what my long term goals were. My response was that I'd hopefully be teaching 6th grade math next year. The kicker at the end of the meeting came when she said that she was changing the policy about letting teachers bring their kids to school at Dartmouth. After listening to her and know full well in which direction she was heading, I asked her if that meant she would deny Caroline's transfer to the school (Jack's already there). Her response was that she would. So now, Jason and I are going to transfer Jack back to Yale. It's his home school, but we'd transferred him to Dartmouth when I got a job. It was just easier. But since Caroline won't be going, it wouldn't be fair to have them at two different schools. I did get a little upset at this point.

I spoke with Jack's teacher after school about Yale. Her kids go there, and I just asked what she knew about the school and the administration. I got some good advice. The sad thing is that while we were talking, my principal walked in and said I had a student waiting for math work (what the H? I didn't assign homework - it's Spring Break for goodness sakes). Turns out he did the work in class (classic example of the kids not listening - she wonders why they're aren't doing well). So Jack's teacher and I go back to talking and she says she thinks it's sad we can't have a conversation without thinking we're doing something sneaky.

Maybe this is a good thing the kids won't be at my school anymore. I'm really worried about Jack, but I know kids are tougher than we often give them credit for. I don't know. I"m sad about it though. I liked having Jack at school and looked forward to having Caroline there.