Back in May, I created my #22 goal of “Get a new job” and then I did so, in the wake of the worst boss I’ve ever had in the entire world (yes, I said it). Today essentially marks two weeks that I’ve been at my new job/school/classroom and it’s…different.
Like, I didn’t realize you could go somewhere and no one complains about anything. Like seriously NOTHING. After school today, we had an “Ice Cream Social” that appeared to be mostly for the parents who wanted to hang out with each other, but I stood around with several of the other new teachers who came from other dysfunctional places. We were having a hard time wrapping our brains around working in a place where everyone seems unabashedly happy. I mentioned the apparent utopia to my former teaching partner the other day and she remarked, “Yeah, try normal for once.”
I used to come home feeling like I had been hit by a garbage truck. Beyond the fact that my boss was a wreck, just working with super high poverty kids was really, really stressful. If they weren’t calling you profane names, they were asking if they could have another helping of the free breakfast because they didn’t eat dinner. On top of that, the public was demanding to know why your test scores sucked, and then you would have to shoo meth heads off the playground.
Now that everything is sunshine and roses, I have a tremendous amount of guilt for my friends that stayed behind. They are doing the truly important work, and I jumped ship. I have no regrets, but now that I’m on the other side of the messed up system, I can’t stop thinking about how much harder they are working.
I know every transition in life has an adjustment period, and for now I’m trying to enjoy my new spot on easy street. I’m getting to sleep in later (thanks to a shorter commute); enjoy my morning coffee at my desk (thanks to no morning duty); eat my lunch sitting down with other teachers (thanks to no lunch duty); and get all my lesson planning done (thanks to an actual prep period). It’s just so eeeeeeasy!
Oh yeah, and when my principal holds a meeting, not only does the meeting start on time, she doesn’t fall asleep in front of everyone halfway through – just sayin.
couponbomb 
Well said, Miz Deacon! I have truly never, EVER followed a blog but your stuff cracks me the eff up. Enjoy the easiness, you deserve it!
-Maia
I felt the same way when I left public school for overseas. Things were lovely. Puppy dogs and rainbows. I no longer worried about my students being hungry. I didn’t worry about who was living on the street or in their car. But you will find a new normal. You will find that you are working harder because your kids will inspire you to do more, discover more, innovate. That is not to say that teachers in high poverty schools aren’t innovative. One of my friends said once “In Chicago I was changing lives.” I reminded her that in her new position she was changing “the world.”.
Good luck and have a fabulous year!
Thanks for acknowledging us in the bigger trenches!! I miss you terribly but enjoy the fact that you get to teach, not manage, which is what our job has become! The chaos continues. I had A’s lil sis put in my room today. No warning not even a reg sheet so I could spell her name right! Rumor is she is 5 times worse than A😟 S let me know they are doing there best after I commented, “yeah let’s not worry about what the teachers need” ,on the fact it seems like no big deal that we will not get our kids portfolios til next week! Sorry for the vent are you up for a happy hour Friday?
You’re doing the Lord’s work, Lindsay. Focus on this time to really master your craft, since you’re able to “teach and not manage” as one of the other commentors said. You can always go back. But, what I think is more horrific is that PPS allows for such a horrible principal in an already struggling school. Leadership starts at the top and everything trickles down from there. You can teach low income kids, but without the right leadership, your shit out of luck.
Thanks, dude. It is pretty terrible that our district lets such an unethical leader be in charge of the most vulnerable kids…and they know what’s going on and don’t change it 😦