I have had a very eye open experience about what I like to call "alphabet soup". If any teacher decided to become an RN and jumped into a healthcare facility they would not be confronted with this "alphabet soup" that teachers deal with. It's appropriate to have a planning period during the day to grade tests, prepare lesson plans, scout a working copy machine and stand in line to make copies. But then....you are told.....you must give up that planning period to become part of the ...."alphabet soup". I had no idea what this was or what was required. So I made some quick texts/phone calls to adjust my plans after school since now I'd be staying late to make copies etc.....So off I went to the appropriate room and join the "alphabet soup" club. You know what I'm talking about .....IEP, RTI, 504, TKE, OAS, etc.....
It seems that in addition to teaching, monitoring, CTSOing, I am now in the "alphabet soup" club. There is always a meeting to go to, something to record on a system that is so cumbersome it takes hours to complete. It takes so much time away from the job I am hired to do and with so little experience, how valuable is my input at this point. I am curious if anyone else is in the "alphabet soup" club?
I can totally sympathize with you! I have been indoctrinated into the "alphabet soup" as well. I have IEP, 504's etc. to attend to. Just as I think I have the accommodations down, I get an email that they have changed! Oh, and the committees you have to belong to are numerous too. I have been just recently volunteered by my principal to be on a fifth committee and this one is for the county. That means meetings outside of school as well as inside now. I often have teacher meetings first thing in the am during my only planning period and then others after the students leave for the day. Oh, and because we are CTAE teachers, we have to go to those meetings as well as the "regular ed" meetings.
ReplyDeleteI keep reminding myself - it's for the students; it's all for the students! (I sleep really well by the time my day is finished! How about you?)