I have always been mildly amused at people who like to qualify all their statements so that you are sure to think the best of them.
I don’t watch a lot of television. I’m too busy. However, have you seen that one episode of The Office when Dwight gets a concussion or the final Sopranos? How about the new reality tv show fill-in-the-blank? Yes? Yes? You’ve seen it? Wow. Yeah, I just caught those one night when I wasn’t refinishing my kitchen table or putting on the rear differential on the toy car I’m building. But you? You watch a lot of television.
Right. Because you fakes me out by starting your sentence with “I don’t watch a lot of television.” I can tell you’re just dripping with compassion for your fellow man who must sit on his tush all day counting the number of times he inhales. I don’t count exhales, I just multiply by two. It’s the new math.
It’s also very comforting when those same people (is it me or are they all type A and why do I have such an ISSUE with type A people, huh? They’re often nice and kind and I’m sick with it) tell me just how busy they’ve been. They’re BUSY attending to the BUSINESS of their BUSY lives and the reason they didn’t call or email? They are BUSY, people! Haven’t you been listening?
Qualifier: I’m NOT a type A person.
Case in point: I cleaned out my former office in the most ADHD manner. Boxes were opened everywhere and I would start to put things into it and then walk to the garbage can where I needed to throw this old notebook away and LOOK! something that I have from my first year of teaching that I have to have and where is that box that’s labeled Stuff From My First Year Of Teaching That I Shall Keep Because Somehow I Need It? Then, there was the smell of cheese. Do I have cheese in that fridge or is it the Cheese Nips box from my bottom left drawer (I can type with my right hand pretty fast and stuff some Cheese Nips in my mouth with my left hand - a talent that I learned on the job. I’m a PROFESSIONAL. Don’t forget that.) and OH MY GOD how old are these? Are they still crunchy? Yes. Ok they’re good.
See? This is why I can’t get any work done. None. But there are boxes and they’re ready to be moved today or someday in the near future.
Now, I have to tell you how busy I’ve been and I also owe you a book reading list (but how can I compile it when I’m also busy reading them?) and a decent definition of my new job.
I’ll go with New Job For Less Than Six Figures, Alex.
Disclaimer: Stop reading here if you only come to Mocha Momma for the pictures of my fantastic legs or the dialogue with my kids or the passionate defense against racism or the slutty coffee descriptions or the discourse on learning disabilities and the Holy Trinity of ADHD: Lazy, Bored, and Crazy.
I’ve moved from being one kind of coach to another. First, it was literacy to help support a school with the literacy efforts and to look at their instructional practice as a way to improve student achievement. Three years ago, when I started this work, I was mostly excited that I could make this my own since I was the first person at my school to do this work. It was exciting and I seem to have found my niche, though nothing will replace how dear the kids are to me in the classroom and, even counting that last entry, I wouldn’t ever want to be far from them.
Now, however, my new job consists of that and ever so much more. The title is School Improvement Coach (hello Googlers! Welcome! This is everything you wanted to know about School Improvement Coaching and somehow got stuck with so stick around and read on…I can be interesting at times, but I can also lay the smack down. You might be amused.) which means… uhh… it means…. I guess it’s best to say that my repertoire has expanded. Now I’m going to work with a middle school and a high school (WHAT!? Two schools instead of one? That’s C-R-A-Z-Y and for my sake I hope Gwen Stefani or Fergie makes a new song out of that one so we’re not all relegated to singing B-A-N-A-N-A-S or G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S because thanks girls, spelling in my school with those words has improved).
I’m off track again. Why aren’t you doing a better job at keeping me on task here?
Now I have to learn about ALL of the assessments middle and high school students take, how to effectively coach principals on leading their schools, and dang. Doesn’t that seem like ENOUGH at this point? It should, but it’s not. I will have to work with data again and take it to the different teams I work with ready to be taken apart and that’s not so much a challenge for me because I deal in disaggregated data all the time (Attention, Teachers? You should be, too.) and now I’m taking it to a whole new level.
Is this a promotion? Yes. Will I chronicle it for you as I learn just what the heck I’m doing? Absolutely. Will you continue to ask me questions about my work? Probably. I’ll try answering in comments, but you know me and my ADD. Well, it’s not MY ADD, but it’s SOMEone’s who is beginning to rub off on me.
Oh, and to add to my BUSY life, I just got an offer to go to California (all expenses paid, because promotion doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of money) from a company I’ve been consulting with and I can smell it already. I know that scent. That is the smell of opportunity and opened doors and I swear, if they offer me a job traveling the country doing consulting for schools then I will have to start taking Ritalin for this ADD that I don’t have and keeping Cheese Nips in my briefcase.
I’m moving into my office next door to the administration center for our district. It will be crowded with 6 other School Improvement Coaches (SICs. Cute, huh? No, notsoverymuch.) Someone said there would be cheese? Is there cheese?
You know me. I just need a coffeepot.
June 18, 2007 @ 7:37 am | Filed under Adrenalized, Education | Permalink |
VENTL8R Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 8:33 am
I hear ya with the ADHD thing. When I moved into the apartment with my friend I was there about 2d before she moved in. I would unpack boxes for the kitchen only to have something distract me for another part of the apartment so I’d go unpack the bathroom only to have something shiny catch my attention in the living so I’d unpack in the living room that would inevitably lead me back to the kitchen. Sounds like I had a lot going on but really not much happened because I was only focusing on each room for about 30″ before something would lead me away.
Mommela Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 8:35 am
Congratulations on your new gig! And a promotion, too! Wahoo for you! They made a terrific choice in offering you the job. Your dedication to your students and in bettering the classroom experience is wildly evident. Congrats, again.
dana Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 10:33 am
Congrats on the now position! Just reading this entry made my brain run from one side to the other, back and forth!
You’ll work your awesome magic like always! I just know it!
Jeankfl Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 10:43 am
Congrats! Glad to hear from you again! Well, at least all those ADD kids will see a successful ADD woman in a wonderful job!!lol Glad to see you’ll be spreading your fabulous self even farther afield! Good Luck!
hugs,
Jean
PS..do we all need to send a travel coffeemaker??
Elizabeth Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 11:24 am
After reading this entry I need to start shutting up about MY busy life. Good Lord, woman! I hope you are at least stopping every once in a while to smell the roses and get a decent pedicure.
Congrats on the promotion!
A different Ken Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Linked wondering. Is that a bad thing? Fascinating. (Said in my best Spock-like voice, eyebrow raised.)
I’ve always found that the wondering that occurs when you’re amid-task to be an essential element of life learning. It’s a fantastic way to discover new stuff I never knew about. I love it most of the time, but not so much when I realize in retrospect that I just spent 2hrs of my life not getting my original task done… Gimme’ an argh!
Looks like you get to make your own definition of your job for largest part. That’s only for the truly talented. I wish you the best and save some of those Cheese Nips for next year, too. (Well, maybe buy a new box, or those little snack bags; I need those for portion control. Not very disciplined in that dept., am I.)
Lara Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
dood, when i started this entry, i was tired and lazy. after reading, however, i find myself full of energy. i think all the stream-of-consciousness mocha injected directly into my brain gave me the boost i need to make it through the day. or at least to the bed for a nap.
where in CA will you be? if you’re in the bay area, i (and i bet lady m) would love to stalk- er, visit with you.
Mike Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
Best of luck with the JOB. Sounds like you are enjoying yourself - keeping irons in the fire and actually running the 3-ring circus. I know you will thrive.
California? Make sure they pay you very, very well. Everything is expensive here - even the weather! If you get to the LA area, let me know.
Thanks for the pics. They make my day!!!
MrsRW Said,
June 18, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
What’s that old adage: “Be careful what you wish for because you will surely get it”? Hmmmm….[Applause, applause]. *Standing ovation* *fireworks!!!* [Continuing applause!!]
Missy Said,
June 19, 2007 @ 1:10 am
Excellent! The job sounds terrific, a perfect fit for you and that fabulous positve energy you have. Whip those schools into shape…
umm…you did pack your whip right?
Congrats and ALOHA
Missy
J to the Wall Said,
June 19, 2007 @ 5:28 am
Get your crap out of your OLD office….so I can move in! Just kidding! I have so much work to do for this summer class that I could kill her! I can’t see myself totally moved in until the end of July or even August.
And you know what is sad? I JUST realized that I will never see you and this will be the only way I will get to know what is going on in your life!
I miss you already! (sniff, sniff)
Doug Said,
June 19, 2007 @ 5:38 am
I have been reading you for a while and I have to say that you sound like a hard worker. Best of luck with the new job. You will be great. Your school has suffered a loss with you moving on. I sure wouldn’t want to be the one taking your place. Big shoes to fill, lady.
Tracey Said,
June 19, 2007 @ 5:45 am
Way 2 Go you! I’m proud of you! Me? I’m busy in my own way trying to figure out how to juggle the circus that is my life and figure out what exactly I want to be when I grow up! You seem to have it mostly figured out! Congratulations!!
RWA Said,
June 19, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Can you make a video of this whole type-really-fast-with-your-right-hand-while-stuffing-your-mouth-with-Cheese-Nip-using-your-left-hand thing?
Have fun in California.
Cindy Samuels Said,
June 19, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
I’m so glad yo will be using all those gifts and talents to help even more of the kids in your school than before. It sounds really exciting. Good luck to you and congratulations to them for hiring you for it. Everyone will be better off from your presence.
BTW I printed your packing description to give to my husband. He watches me in complete bewilderment when I try to pack or clean my office and everything ends up more mixed up than before. Soulmates once again!
Can’t wait for the book list. Give my love to LALA land…
Daisy Said,
June 20, 2007 @ 7:51 am
Can’t. Stop. Smiling. I can picture you digging into the lower left drawer for your stash because that’s exactly where I keep mine. Ah, yes. I just cleaned up and packed up my classroom after six years to move to a different school and different grade. Oh, and does your district use Measures of Academic Progress? (Now who’s ADD?!)
The Mentor Mom Said,
June 21, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
Congrats on the promotion! Hope it opens lots of doors for you — as an employee of a public school system myself, it is always refreshing to hear from others who are in the biz who remain passionate about their work. Well done and well deserved!
Staci Schoff Said,
June 23, 2007 @ 11:52 pm
Congratulations on the promotion — it sounds like very interesting work — not that I have a clue what you’re talking about as I’ve rarely dealt in aggregated data, but still…
Marisa Said,
June 24, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
Hey mocha,
Thanks sooo much for your well wishes before my recent surgery. I’m back home not and on the road to recovery. I know how busy this site can get so I was very grateful when you found the time to not only swing by and comment but also adding me to your prayer list.
Thank you so very much.
mt
http://www.mtcutie.blogspot.com
MizAngie Said,
June 26, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
Ha! You’re not a Type A? Are you sure? If not then you’re definitely a Type B .
I ain’t gonna lie. I’m “That Woman.” You know - the one that knows all the tv trivia: what Paris was wearing when she got out of jail, what happened on the last episode of The Sopranos, and how Bill & Hill copied it on her website. Even if I’m not watching the tv is on. People who live alone tend to be tv people. I think it’s because the movement on the screen gives the house a “lived in” feeling. Not only that, but TIVO is my friend. I get so tired of people claiming to be so busy they don’t watch tv, or how they hate tv, blah blah blah. Well, I’m so busy I can multi-task with the tv on and I’ve opened my mind to a tremendous source of information by tuning in to the high-tech television. Now doesn’t that sound nicer than “couch potato?”
MizAngie Said,
June 26, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
Crap. When I wrote “Type B” there was a plus sign after which made my prior post ever so witty. Now it reads, “DUH. If you’re not an A then you’re a B.” Try reading it this way:
“Ha! You’re not a Type A? Are you sure? If not then you’re definitely a Type B-Plus.”
Sheesh.
Mocha Momma Said,
June 27, 2007 @ 4:55 am
I appreciate the extra effort, MizAngie. Honestly, I do. Witty you were.
‘Scuse me. Need to watch a metric ton of tv now.
Stick Said,
June 27, 2007 @ 6:54 am
That’s the fastest I’ve ever read through a post. Maybe it was the lack of periods. Or the coffee beans in the background. Either way, bottom’s up to that new office.