The Teacher I'm Becoming

Week 31: Back in Motion Monday It was hard to get up and return to work after Spring Break. Some students were still absent, but there was a clear focus throughout the day—writing. With the FAST Writing assessment for grades 4–6 approaching on March 31st, classrooms were filled with essay practice. In the afternoon, I worked with a small group of students who had to miss out on playing Blooket during my support time. Blooket is a fun and engaging review game that students love, so it was not an easy trade-off for them. I felt that tension, but I also knew the importance of prioritizing their comprehension and writing goals. Moments like this remind me that support facilitation often requires balancing engagement with intentional instruction. This year, I have truly enjoyed learning how to collaborate with other teachers and seeing the success that comes when we work together as a team. Tuesday As support facilitators, it is important that we remain flexible and willing to step in whe...

  Week 30: Learning the System While Keeping the Heart This last week was not your average week. It was a week full of IEP testing and data updates. It was a week to wrap up the third nine weeks in style. All of my IEP goal sheets were updated and filed, all progress reports were printed, and IEP drafts were written for two meetings scheduled for after spring break. It was also a week that almost broke me by Thursday. I needed some air from the stifling work of progress reports for nearly 30 students. On Thursday, I decided to be a teacher again and help some kindergarten littles enjoy Field Day. A fresh sense of energy rose up in me, and I became a shadow, making sure these sweet kids were safe. I followed all the rules that ESE teachers are expected to follow to keep students safe and to make sure we do not handle difficult situations alone. Even when one student did not want to return to class, we worked as a village to make sure she got back safely. It is important that, as t...

  Week 29 Monday I was back in the game. I assisted students with practicing skills, making up missing work, and was asked to assist with a behavior in a classroom in the afternoon. As I was talking with the student, it reminded me of the tricks of the trade that you learn with every student you work with daily. It is very important to have de-escalation strategies to use with students to make an otherwise intense situation easier for them to manage. The dilemma comes when adults differ on strategies on how to help each other. It is imperative that a classroom team communicate clearly and effectively and stay on the same page. Tuesday I reflected on the importance of trusting your team to carry the load and support one another toward the end goal. While working with a small group in one of the classrooms, we were trying to read a story, and the room was very noisy. I started to say “shh” to some students behind me and was offered the option to work in my classroom so it would be qu...

  Week 28 — Flexible Plans and Lasting Impact Monday began the start of a beautiful week — and thankfully without the headache I had been dealing with all weekend! I was at full throttle and ready to jump in. I had a couple items on my to-do list, but as always, those depend on students actually being in class. IEP testing had to wait because the student with the upcoming meeting was sick, so I moved to Plan B. This is exactly why it is optimal to have a couple weeks’ notice for an IEP — testing students and collecting meaningful data takes time before the big day. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year as a support facilitator is that I may walk into a classroom with my agenda, but the teacher may need support introducing a lesson or practicing a skill students are struggling with. My plan is optional — unless it’s IEP testing. Tuesday, the same student was still absent, so testing again had to wait. I stayed productive by completing testing for other upcoming IEPs. I a...