The first of September is a fact and that means the end of Summer and back to school. Many of us will be confrontated one way or the other with that. A did get his new school essentials and he is already getting back used to getting up at an early hour because I already am back at school or rather back at work! He even parked his newest red bookbag next to his bed what makes me very happy as a mum. I consider him ready to go back and what about me am I ready to go back?
Well, I wanted something to change in my professional life! And since this week I did embark on a totaly new adventure of that part of my existence. Okay, I had tow months to get used to the idea of leaving one place and boxing all my stuff and draging it to my car and then moving into a new more international flavored educational environment. Easy pie but it was only after handing over my work keys and staring at the rather confrontating words:'Deactivated Account' that it hit me right between the eyes. When I did drive home that night in the sun and got home I did have an emotional meltdown and that lasted till I walked into my new workplace.
Yes, I am anxious and also slightly a bit less confident as I use to be at this time of the year. Because after 14 years in the same place becoming a newbie is a bit terrifying. Lots of the data that you have been saving on your harddrive you are forced to delete in order to make space for new more essential life saving data. Lots of my daily vocab will be now completely different and yes it involves also speaking an other language at a daily basis. Something I do look forward imensely.
The last few days I got the grand introduction and I must say that my first impressions are overall more then just positive. I did already pick up so much energy at that spot that it is mind blowing. It feels like I am swimming at the deep end of the Aquatic Center at the London Olympics. Yes, I did cheer for Team GB because from now on I am going to spend quite some time with this nationality but not only them but I will find the globe in my classroom so to speak.
Yes, the new data input creates also some tension insside my head and some chaos. Stallie also already managed to make tiny little mistakes like forgetting where the the m is on an qwerty-bord, forgot her rain coat in the cafeteria, walked into a door because she just did not know what way it was opening. Obviously not the way I assumed! Being the newbie can be painful in many ways so to speak! But I am having a lovely time out there.
Of course will I miss the next few weeks my colleagues and former pupils even a bit more because they have been part of my life for over a decade. That is not something that you just erase by hitting the delete button. It is sometimes now at the most insane and awkward moments that I will have flashbacks.
Stallie already met her new colleagues and yes she is quite busy processing all the data, number, facts, graphics, words, Powerpoint- presentations, routes etc In a way am I stretching one of my elastic bands that my brain contains. The brain oh what a wonderful thing because after all that is something that we teachers rely on big time! Just how much are you aware of how it works because since the last few days and especially today I did find out that it so much more fascinating that I was told during a biology class. It affects a lot of how we learn things. Making mistakes is part of learning new things and so I am prepared to walk into a few more doors in the next few weeks. But I am looking forward to the 3rd of September a bit more then my son this year.
As an extra I wish to share you some of the new insights that I gained during my first CPD at the new workplace. Joan Deak is for sure a very entertaining person to have over during a day that you as an educational professional are forced to sit on hard chair and listen for hours to someone else do all the talking. Because after she stopps you almost go down on your knees to keep on going for an other day. Of course I could leave the gym without a copy of the lovely children's book she published and am very sure that the others are also very well worth to read if you want to find out more about how the brain works.
So good luck all of you who will be going back into schools. I will miss the old spot for sure the next few days a bit more but I guess that I will be creating tons of new memories in the weeks to come. It was a fun Summer but this TA is ready to give her very best and to teach some kids something new. But I am sure that I will also pick up more then one new thing a day from my pupils.
And yes Joan Deak did point more then once that what is said in this wonderful poster by one of my favorite American artist Mary Engelbreit are for sure true. Most of us ended up being influenced in the choices we made by a teacher. I am grateful to some very inspirational ones and for sure when I tomorrow will drive to my new teaching spot because there are a few ones who kept on telling me to never give up and keep on trying. Guess that they were right after all! ;-)
In case you wish to find out more about Joan Deak you can find out more here:
http://www.deakgroup.com/our-educators/joann-deak-phd/
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