Well, it was my first day back and I had 2 panic attacks. I have no computer, no telephone and my office is a cubby hole in the library. But after I sat in my old 1st grade classroom and tapped out a few emails on my old computer, I stopped feeling light-headed. It's all the good vibes there from my past students coming back to greet me!!
I met with my coach today and she reminded me that my job is to be a patient observer and that I don't need to always focus on the literacy part of coaching. At the beginning of the year, we need to do the training that is involved in creating a wonderful classroom community. I liken it to the training that I'm doing for the 1/2 marathon walk in October--I can't just expect myself to go do it because I want to be at that particular point in time RIGHT NOW!!! I have to do the work to prepare myself to begin the goal I want to reach. It's the same with the beginning of the school year. So often, I forget the magic of what happens in the preparations for learning. Helping students become acquainted and familiar with what will eventually belong to them is work--and it's not something you can evaluate with a rubric or tick off as "done". It is evident when the students and teachers breath in and out without the use of a paper bag.
So, tomorrow when I have to go in and talk to my coworkers about School Improvement Goals and going over our results from the 2008-2009 school year, I will remember that this is all just the warm up and I don't have to worry about being in condition yet.
