Wearing Different Hats

Many of us wear many different hats throughout the school day. Some even change their hats as soon as the school day ends, and we put on a different hat for after school activities with students such as sports, clubs, and tutoring. For some, our hats may change as school years end and begin again. For me, this is the case. 

As the school year approached, I found myself in a position to change my hat and wear a new one. The opportunity came for me to apply for a leadership role in the school where I teach. I thought long and hard about this opportunity. I discussed it with my family and close friends. I prayed about it. While I have always thought about leadership roles, I never dreamed it would come as soon as it has. 

I have always LOVED being a classroom teacher! Always, even on days when I sometimes feel that I am not getting through to my students. I love their enthusiasm. I love their quirks and numerous personalities. I knew that if I ever pursued a leadership position, I would lose that close bond that teachers form with their students. Yes, I know principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, etc., can still form bonds with students, but the bonds are different. In my 11 years teaching, I have thoroughly enjoyed each student that I have taught. Some were harder than others, but all have a special place in my heart. 

With my mind made up, I decided to give it a shot. I knew that if it was meant to be, then the door would open up for me. If not, I knew that teaching in a classroom setting was where I needed to be. When I left the interview, I felt I had given it my best and answered the questions honestly and to the best of my ability. When I received the phone call informing me that I would be the new Instructional Coordinator at our school, I was elated. While I know I will genuinely miss working one and one with the students on a daily basis, I am excited that I will have more opportunities to go into classrooms and see all of the levels of learning taking place. 

I wish I had pictures to share with you of my old classroom and my new office- that I was able to go into as mine for the first time yesterday. I have a lot to learn in a very short amount of time. I will begin my new position this upcoming week as I conduct a two-day meeting with third grade teachers from our county as we revise county teaching maps, unit plans of study, and nine week assessments. 

Are there any of you who will be wearing a new hat this school year? If you have any advice for my new position, please share it with me as well. What is something your Instructional Coordinator does  that you think is awesome? 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I know it is not as informational as other posts about innovative ideas to use in your classroom, but I wanted you to know about my news, and hopefully, you can offer ideas that would be great for me to use in my new role.