As an Inclusion Facilitator, instead of a classroom, I have an office. I am not a part of the master schedule and I do not have a conference period. The majority of teacher inservice at the beginning of the school year does not concern me, however I have a day where I am the inservice. I do not write lesson plans. I do not have to worry about issuing textbooks. When the principals discuss classroom rules and procedures, I think about what I am going to have for lunch. I am a teacher with no class.
The Good News
I make my own schedule, outside of the meetings scheduled by administrators and diagnosticians. When the final bell rings for the day, I go home. I do not lug a bunch of papers to be graded or projects to be assessed. I get to turn off my light, lock the door behind me, and not think about school until the alarm clark buzzes the next morning.
The Bad News
I rarely get to teach. The work I do in my office directly affects students, but there are months that go by that I do not get to be in front of the classroom. I get to work with teachers from every grade level, but I do not have a group of students with which I can work and on which I can make a daily impact. I cannot implement the use of classroom blogs, wikis, or podcasts. I have had some opportunities to become more digitally literate, but I have to leave those projects in the hands of those classroom teachers.
Any other teachers feel my pain?
The way I see it, most of my influence will come from behind the scenes. I am the one who makes sure teachers have what they need to support students (modifications, behavior plans, IEPs, etc.). I also get to spend more time thinking out of the box than teachers who have to conduct class. I can be an agent of change by helping implement technology (even if on a small scale).
Bottom line: I like where I am and do not plan on going anywhere anytime soon.
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