What will I be teaching next year?

(Note: this week's blog quote does not come from a student, I tried to think of one but the topic I wanted to talk about has nothing to do with my students)

Quote #8: "Did you get RIFT'ed?" - many teachers. I should begin by explaining that "RIFT" means "reduction in teaching force", which actually makes no sense because that mean that the abbreviation should read RITF but people say RIFT'ed and I have chosen not to question the Midwest's choice of abbreviations. Reducing the teaching force means that the school has to make cuts and they need to lay off some of the teachers. This happened to a lot of teachers last year, however it doesn't look like the same layoffs will be necessary this year. There are necessary budget cuts but the school district has decided that it will not replace retiring teachers instead of laying off teachers. Needless to say, when RIFTing occurs the newest teachers are at the bottom of the totem pole and, therefore, are the first to go.

To get the point of this blog, I kept getting asked this question because of a meeting I had with my school administrators and news/rumors travels fast in the school. To clarify, I was not laid off at this meeting, instead I was told that the funding that paid for my job was being decreased and therefore I was most likely going to be transferred to another school within IPS next year. So, I would have a job but it would not be at Manual High School. This is still up in the air because they are putting a special request in for me to teach life skills again since I am the only one that can teach it. I have no idea when I will know what school I will be teaching at next year or what subject I will be teaching (it will either be reading, life skills, or language arts) but I hope that it is soon.

When I heard this news I had mixed feelings about it. While I love my freshmen and love the freedom that comes with teaching an elective class, I have always been a little resentful that I am not teaching a "real" subject. A "real" subject being science, math, language arts, reading, etc. While electives are extremely important and add to the balance of a student's life, my students cannot read or do basic algebra and, therefore, it is difficult for me to see the point in them coming to my class when they cannot read at grade level. I know that my students love my class because I am more relaxed and we have a great relationship but just think what I could do with my personality and a REAL subject. My students do not go to their classes simply because they do not like the teacher, so the potential impact of having a class of students show up to math because they like me is huge.

While I like the possibility of teaching a real subject, there are many problems with this potential move. My students expect me to be there next year and at a time when a lot of students are leaving to go to different schools, I feel like I am abandoning my students. Additionally, I spent this entire year creating this class and it sucks that I might have to learn a whole new curriculum for next year. It will be almost like starting over at square one. I will have the classroom management experience and will know my "teaching style" but I will have an entire new classroom. The second year is suppose to be easier and with this potential shift I do not think it will be one bit easier, it may be just like doing my first year all over again.

It's all speculation at this point in time but it will be interesting to see where I end up next year.

Things are looking up...

Quote #7: "Ms. Broome, you make his heart smile." - JC This is just one of the many ridiculous quotes that come from my boys in my last period class. Three days prior these boys also serenaded "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to me during class. This period used to be my worst and, don't get me wrong, some days they can really try my patience but the fact that these students want to come to class now, help out around my classroom, and are doing their work is a major achievement. It is just one of many things that have changed for the better in my classroom.

In all honesty, I have no idea what has really changed. Maybe I know the students better, maybe they know me better, my students might have matured a little, I might have relaxed a little bit, or maybe it's a combination of all the above. But, regardless, some extreme changes have occurred in my classroom and these changes are making my classroom even more fun for these last two months of school. The students that have always been great are still amazing and hard-working but the students who use to give me hell, for some unknown reason, have decided I am not half bad and just want to joke around with me as opposed to fight with me. I don't mean to boast, but I have become so popular with my students that I am finding it difficult to enforce lunch detention because my students like spending their lunch time with me; it is no longer a punishment!

These changes in my classroom have taught me a few things. Namely, that I should not get discouraged with my students because no matter where they begin in my class you never know where our relationship is going to be at the end of the year. I need to remember this for next year when I have to start building these relationships all over again but I am hoping that my next year students and I get to the place I am at right now a little before March. I have never doubted the role humor plays in the classroom but I have learned that kids just want to play around. I think that many of my students are under the impression that class time and fun are antonyms. However, the minute that they realize they can have fun while doing their work it completely alters their way of thinking and all of a sudden they will do whatever you ask them because they know, in some way, that it will be fun. Even if the activity or assignment isn't one of the most exciting (I mean, let's face it, something like word processing skills isn't incredibly enthralling) my students no longer give me trouble because we can joke around and have a good time doing something a little boring.

This year is wrapping up quite nicely! I can't wait for my students to be sophomores next year and to meet my newest group of freshmen!