End of Chapter 1, The Schechter Saga

End of Chapter 1, The Schechter Saga

Jun 4, '10 9:17 PM for everyone

I need to close this chapter before I get my new Facebook friends from the Schechter Class of 2010. Not that I have anything to hide or bad to say, but I at least want them to have to work to discover my reflections on my first year and their last year.

So, all in all, it was a good year, a year of learning, at least for me. I'm pretty sure it was for them, as well. I got good reviews from them and their parents (not an insignificant factor in a small private school). I had enough fun that I've signed on for another year with an essentially doubled work-load, adding the sixth grade to the eighth. I'm looking forward to making changes that will make next year even more fun, although my lack of experience with sixth graders is cause for pause.

I'm guessing the counselor gig, on the other hand, was viewed as somewhat less successful. I am pretty sure I had a different view of the job than administration. Although nothing was ever said, I think they wanted me to be more proactive, building a guidance program, never mind that this is essentially an elementary school and I have neither experience nor training on that level. I doubt that it would have really mattered, to be honest, but the control issues of administration (e.g., all referrals had to go through them, no teacher could just ask me to see a kid) were not exactly motivating. Add to that my lack of experience in elementary counseling, well, it's part of my job I won't miss next year, although I felt like I had at least a couple successes with individual students. I think whatever counseling skills I have will continue to serve me in my classroom and with my students.

Next year I'll focus less on content, more on process and skills, less on history facts, more on communications. This first year I stayed (too often) in my comfort zone, the area of my most recent classroom experience (AP US History & college psychology, both content-intensive courses). With this year under my belt, however, I have a better "feel for the deal" and look forward to going backward to my earlier days as a teacher when I realized that facts were so much less important than skills. And it was fun back then.

But this year was fun, too, albeit frustrating from time to time, of course. Individually my kids were nice kids, smart, enjoyable, friendly... good kids. Collectively, well, there were challenges. But I liked them all, felt a connection to each and every one, at least on occasion, and often virtually every day for most. I made at least a small difference for most of them, I think. I look forward to trying to make a difference for my students again next year.

I'm certainly more comfortable at the school than at the beginning. That's no surprise as we grew to know each other. I work with good, friendly people, who laugh often and well, people who are good teachers, trying to do the their best for the kids in their charge. That hasn't changed from wherever I've worked, as either a teacher or a coach. I love being a teacher at least in part because of that.

As far as (the irony of me) working at a religious school, it's really been fine. I've learned a lot and I can pretty much guarantee that what most people think they know about Jews and Judaism misses the truth, whatever that is. Nobody tried to fix me, save me, change me; actions speak more clearly, if not louder, than words. I always felt respected and accepted. I will share this nugget, my one conclusion. For a small religion (approximately 13 million worldwide, based on a 2006 report), Jews put Baskin-Robbins to shame in terms of the number of flavors – WAY more diverse than I ever imagined. Chapter 2 starts in August. Stay tuned.

Tags: religion, changing perceptions, education, career