This morning, I had my "debriefing" with the principal about yesterday's evaluation and I PASSED!!! The evaluation scale is 1-5 (5 being exceptionally amazing!) and 3 is passing. I mostly had 3s, but also several 4s, PLUS A FEW 5s! How amazing is that? It's truly a miracle is what it is! Many prayers and blessings have assisted me in finally being on track with everything. The principal also apologized for just sending me out there without any real support (after all, this is my first year teaching!).* Apparently, he figured that I'd been at the high school so long that I would be just fine. However, the high school is a completely different set up.**
Apparently I was right in that the main reason I was hired as the Art teacher is my Art History background and that I wrote 12 Art History units for the high school. One of the few places that I excelled (or even passed) last time was in my depth of knowledge. He continues to be very impressed and figures that the teaching part will come in time, but that the art background is more difficult to get! Plus, he admitted that he really liked the project that I was having the students complete during the evaluation, yay! He would like to find some space and equipment to display the students' art work nicely and formally instead of on the bare tack strips (students have pulled the tack strip off and only the metal casing is left in many places). It's definitely a title one school!
He is also impressed that I created the student art blog for the students and the families to view. Recently, I added a translator so that the parents/students may access the blog in a language with which they are most comfortable. I've also been sending notes home with the students at the beginning of each unit informing the parents and students what we will be learning and encouraging them to look at the blog.
There were several other categories (about 12 all together? It's a very detailed eval - he asked about the evals at the high school and I told him that it's basically a "do-you-do-your-job" question - check!). I'm so relieved that everything is looking up! Afterward, he came in and set up my in-room PA system (my voice is too soft, hmmm...it's really so much louder than it used to be!). The students I had after that were intrigued by my new volume. I told them that it was magic, but they figured out that I had a mike, lol. I also told them that it was my special power :) They didn't really believe me, but they did listen a lot better.*** I started using the Kindergarten teachers "freeze" technique. Quite affective! There were several other ideas and suggestions that were implemented today and all to a good outcome. Hopefully, tomorrow will be even better!****
*I still actually wonder whether I have a mentor! Technically I should have a mentor to meet with on a regular basis for the first three years of teaching.
**The high school is the alternative school for the district. The students work in labs instead of having class. They work independently (packets) and the teachers/TAs mainly work with the students one on one as needed.
***They especially listened when I left the room for a few minutes to talk to some troubled wee ones in the hall, oops! I thought that it was off. Nope! At least it was a good lesson for all of them to hear: be nice, don't push each other on the stairs because it's dangerous, you're all going to the same place so does it really matter that so-and-so "budged"?, etc.
****Tomorrow, I leave for NY!!!! I'm so excited!!!! This is a much needed vacation!
