Nose to the Grindstone…or Thanks A Lot Mom!

Those of you who have read my diary for a while know that I never started out as a teacher.  I never wanted to be a teacher.  Teachers are crazy people who do way too much work for way too little money, after all. 

You may also remember that not only am I currently a teacher – but I teach at the school my father taught in for 30+ years AND I teach the same subject my mother taught.  It used to be called Home Ec……but now they’ve PC’d it on up to Family and Consumer Science. 

I think this would be a good place to insert a little info on the Wolf Family Dynamic.  We are uncooperative independent.  Every last dang one of us.  It has been observed – a time or two – that I have "authority issues".  Yep.  Damn skippy.  I most certainly do.  And don’t bother calling my parents on me.  Who do you think I learned from?

I distinctly remember my mother yowling about all the stupid stuff her stupid supervisor wanted her to do.  Then she would put on a happy face, agree with them whole-heartedly (while they were looking) and go on about her business.  Often times she DID do extra work, but she did it her way.  The supervisors growled, but the work was always unimpeachable.  My father was much the same, although probably not as nice to his supervisor’s face. 

Back to me.  (It’s all about me – remember that!)  When I started teaching I was burned out and disillusioned with the corporate world.  I don’t ‘play politics’ well… and it cost me dearly several times.  Never mind that my work was top notch and I always got excellent reviews….  And I was younger and out to climb the ladder and make my mark.  SO when I entered the world of teaching it was with a sigh of relief.  Now I can just do one thing – teach.  I don’t want to be promoted.  I don’t want to play games.  Just show me a classroom and get out of my way.  Sounded reasonable enough to me. 

First and second year I stressed a lot.  It is very difficult to be a beginning teacher at any age.  The guidance I got was minimal.  The help I got was less than that.  And my supervisors kept raising their eyebrows at me every time I spoke.  Then they just quit speaking to me at all.  I guess they thought I might go away if they ignored me.  HA!

At the end of this school year I got an e-mail.  It went to all the teachers using one of the curriculums – Culinary Operations.  Less than a dozen middle school teachers.  The curriculum needs some tweaking…please come to a meeting to discuss it.  So I did.  I don’t want to be labeled "NOT A TEAM PLAYER".  My plan, however, was to just go to the meeting.  Offer a little input and then go home having fulfilled my ‘plays well with others’ quotient.  Again I say…HA!

To shorten the story….I am rewriting 3 sections of that curriculum AND 5 sections of the 6th grade curriculum (which is used by about 30 teachers).  There’s a good side to this.  I am getting paid, which I didn’t know about until after I agreed to do it. 

I handed in my first cut at the 6th grade curriculum on Monday.  I was totally stressed over it.  I had no idea if it was going to be acceptable.  See…..I don’t fit in. (surprise!).  I call these rabid FACS teachers "Betty Crockers".  That’s what they remind me of.  Little Martha Stewart wanna-bes.  When we go to rah-rah meetings for all the teachers county wide, I show up in jeans and a nice shirt.  THEY come in navy blue suits, off-white panty hose, and closed-toe pumps.  I wear flip-flops.  Do you see why I was anxious about how they would receive MY interpretation of the curriculum?

Today I got feedback.  Not just feedback.  I got praise.  Liberal praise.  Lots and lots of liberal praise.  There were – as expected – some questions and corrections.  But by and large, they loved it.  They loved that I added internet references and activities.  They loved that I added FCAT activities which solidify our links to "real" curricula and subjects like science, math and reading.  They even loved my formatting which they are adopting county wide.  Before I left they asked me to do an additional section and told me they’d be calling on me to do more because…"that’s what happens when you’re good".

I have also been asked to do presentations at our professional day about using LCD projectors and power point presentations to enhance teaching in the classroom.  Later I will do presentations about using the interactive Smart Board.   All tis from the woman who was not going to get involved.

After my meeting today I went to the cemetary.  My mother was cremated and her ashes are in an urn in a memorial wall there.  I teared up when I saw her plaque.  And I said to her – "Mom, see what you got me into?"  And in my mind…I heard her laughing and felt her hugs.  And now, I am not feeling quite so much like a tree struggling to keep my roots in the sand.

Peace out folks….I gotta go write some more curriculum.