What today brought

Today was a defining day in our paradigm shift. It was fascinating to have three different conversations with each team member that were all about the same thing. The reality of what is our job is and how we conduct ourselves differently in this role.

Concerns I heard  today were about "overload" of students, how to manage contacting, and management of documentation. It's interesting to see where team members in processing this. It has hit some more then others. It think the ones it has hit the least our the least flexibly and least mature.

Today I had to let go on being a content wizard.Of knowing every dot on every page of what I am teaching. Because the goal is not my knowledge the goal is developing the student knowledge. Goodbye Sage on the Stage. Many teachers are frustrated actors. Attention hogs. Captains of Control. That's not the skill set we need.

 Carol suggested that we support ( well to say it a bad way) more grades. I will be supporting all subjects sixth to eight grade and two levels higher of math. That's five years of math. Now let's look at that a different way. Carol suggested we more our focus from the grade to the student. This will minize contacts for the student and "teacher"  The teacher would keep that student for more years building a stronger relationship. Again we do this in Special Ed. Gen. Ed. teachers might not feel as much this way.

I am calling on my special education skills much more then I thought I would. The skills I developed working with parents. Understanding their point of view. Their concerns. And the position they come from.

My role is more that caseload teacher who created the environment for that child to develop.

"Two way interaction" VS intrusion/ unmanageable communication is what we struggle with now. The contract with have with our parents. The way we manage that communication so it does not kill us and interfere with them. 

Ahhhh here we go the special ed background:
We have a range of needs in our program so we need a range of support for those families. We need to define the legal requirements of count day, MEAP, and seat time waiver.