Hello Fellow Travellers
Those of you have been in community with me for two years, may know that I have moved from a centrally assigned position as a Consultant (Special Education) to being a Grade 7-8 teacher in a school this September. I am delighted.
My Work and My Job Title
Like you, my work is more than what my job title suggests. There are many small and big things that educators do through our work day that is invisible or invisibilized (made invisible) due to many factors. One of them is that we do not know the realities of people’s home and work lives. We do not know the complexities of the lives of our students even from day to day and period to period.
Reframing and Regulation
When my children were growing up, and now when my students feel overwhelmed by new experiences, I gently remind them that…
It Is Not Weird. It is New.
I also reminded myself that this week when I was in a school full time and for the whole day. You see in my centrally assigned role, I used to be in two to three schools in a day and although I co-taught with colleagues and was always in classrooms with students, I was not governed by bells and timetables the same way. That takes some getting used to.
Grace Is Key
- In these early days of the school year, everyone, whether colleagues, office staff, caretakers, administrators, families and of course our students, is figuring things out anew given all the variables in our lives.
- Sometimes timetables get messy, supervision duties need tweaking and pencil cases are forgotten.
- At such times, it helps to extend some space and grace to the person in front of us in real time, just as we would expect it to be gifted to us.
- Attending workshops and webinars, sharing updates of sessions presented on social media, following content and putting up glitzy posters on our walls may be important.
- But really being able to practice grace towards one another is the key to building and strengthening school culture.
The Person and The Paperwork
Since September 8th, in addition to building community and getting to know the students in my class, I have been speaking with students, families and colleagues to understand students’ strengths and areas of support so that I can coordinate IEPs with multiple system partners’ inputs.
I find that at this busy time it helps me to remember this reality:
Under All The Paperwork is Someone’s Child
Sunshine Moment
My sunshine moment was therefore related to paperwork because it impacts my everyday work as it does for colleagues who are partnering with me.
As my colleagues and I have busy work lives, and I am trying to keep my teaching space and my school-wide paperwork organized, I began by setting up one process in motion that works well for all of us.
Moreover, we do not have to leave our schedules and walk around to look for one another. This way, papers get filed promptly and we can all move on with our day.
Often the seemingly small considerations are the start of long term collaborative and respectful work practices.
P.S: In addition to the messaging and memos from your school district, do review The Individual Education Plan (IEP): Advice to Members
With You, In Solidarity,
Rashmee Karnad-Jani
