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Memories from the Beginning…
September 24, 2008 | 1 Comment
I love my job – I often say I have the best job in the district – and am excited about coming to work everyday, but I am particularily excited about today.
It was September of 2002 and, having quit my public sector job a year previous to return to school for a BEd – I was only a couple of weeks into my new career as a teacher. I certainly was motivated and thought I was ready, but nothing quite prepares you for the challenges of the classroom – even teaching as a student intern – especially when the “classroom” you were thrust into included three teachers, all 64 Grade 6-8 students in one large, open space! Frankly, I was terrified, confused and overwhelmed. Nothing in my teacher training even hinted that these types of classrooms existed, let alone that I might be teaching in one at Keswick Ridge School my first year out.
But I was lucky. I was paired up with two wonderful teachers. Mrs. Green was young, vivacious, spontaneous and a riot. She taught Language Arts and Social Studies with passion and enthusiasm, wearing her heart on her sleeve. Mr. Wilton, on the other hand, was more traditional in his approach. He taught Phys Ed, Health and Science, and was quite content driven. I was given Math and Technology as my assignment, but to say that we were limited to these subject areas would be painting a false picture.
In reality, we all were involved in pretty much everything. We were all in the classroom together, a true community of learners, circulating and working with students all the time. On top of that, we were supported by a wonderful and visionary leader in Principal Barb Corbett. In retrospect, I couldn’t have asked for any better way to start my career.
I often hear from teachers – and have been subject to it myself – that isolation is a huge barrier to learning for teaching professionals. We get sequestered in our own classrooms, tied up by our own needs and challenges and don’t get to learn from each other. Instead, I was able to not only watch other people teach – with very different styles – but was able to receive their support and constructive criticism in my teaching. They both taught me a lot and supported me – a huge plus for a first-year teacher.
Not only that, but the structure of this K-8 school, with multi-age/multi-grade classrooms in K-2 and the 6-8 Middle School forced me to think outside the box. The first month was a stunner, then one day it was like a light-bulb went on…WOW! This wasn’t teaching, it was learning!
I only spent one year at KRS before, tearfully, I was transferred (due to dropping enrollements) to a large, urban middle school where I almost died teaching five Grade 8 Science classes a day my first year there. It did get better as I was fortunate enough to play a leading role in transforming my school into a leading 1:1 laptop program my second year there, but I have yet to see – and I have been fortunate to visit a lot of schools the last couple of year – a learning environment like “The Ridge”.
However, good things come around. Today I am spending a full day back at Keswick Ridge. I hadn’t been to the school since I left five years ago but I am so excited that I will be spending some time here this year. My supervisor, knowing that my 1:1 school was maturing enough to share me around, offered me an opportunity to take on two new schools, including KRS. Walking in here this morning – the beautiful Mrs. Green is the only one of the three of us left here – was amazing. She is an incredible teacher and friend and I am excited about being able to spend time here promoting 21st century learning through collaboration and project-based learning.
It’s great to be back. Mrs. Green…let’s have some fun like the old days!
tags: technology, education, whipple, learning, keswickridge
1 Comment so far
That is so exciting when you get to go back. You get show how much you have learned and you are giving back to those who helped you. Sounds like a wonderful experience.