Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Working in a Consolidating School District


Each day I enter the school with confidence and determination.  I have done this job for 17 years. I know what to do.
Each day I step into my office ready to take on the pile of work I left yesterday and I am ready for the new challenges that will reach me on the phone… in a report… from a parent… from a teacher or a co-worker….from a small, distorted voice in the hall. I look forward to working with my students.
Each day I have a plan- Each day I am ready to teach
Each day I pray that I will make a difference
Lately, each day is harder than the one before…

I feel less confident that I will finish yesterday’s tasks
I feel less determination to take on new challenges
I feel over-whelmed by the phone
Reports
Parents
Teachers
Coworkers
I wonder if the small, distorted voice in the hall really needs me.

I am hit with realities at work I did not plan for
I have been told to expect a pink slip on Friday
I feel loss at my last “Jingle Bell Walk” and final “Spring Sing” 
I have mountains of paperwork that have no meaning and no value
I have less energy and feel I have less value- 
                                             expendable and easily replaced 
It is an effort just to stay positive with my students.

Each day I have a plan- Each day I am ready to teach
Each day I pray that I am making a difference

Now, I do tasks that used to be done by others because of downsizing
I face changes in my expectations and of what my role is
I juggle mis-information given both on purpose and by accident
There is no money to do things as they have been done before
I must count my copies and try to focus on today and my students
I wash my hands with generic, watered down dollar store soap
I shake my hands dry because there are no paper towels
There is fear and sadness and a strong smell of loss in the air


Each day I have a plan-Each day I am ready to teach
Each day I pray that I have made a difference.











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