We start our educational careers as students who are given assignments that must be completed at appropriate levels. I went on to become a high school English teacher where I was giving assignments to a diverse group of students, some who were not as enthralled with English as I was. I then got married. I also got out of Education, a situation that resulted in my receiving a good hands on education in getting along with a diverse group of individuals. Being married does not cause you to change as much as the next step, having children. Children educate their parents as much as parents educate their children. I then went back to college through the school psychology program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Coming to Ulysses to work for HPEC eventually caused my wife and I to look for a house and uproot our family. In terms of morphing, I have changed as High Plains has changed. Remember CBM, remember the three-year IEP, remember when the general curriculum was in the superintendent's office getting dusty and when No Child Left Behind was the prayer of elementary teachers who hoped they didn't miss any kids on their field trip to the zoo? The only constant is change. If we want to be successful, we need to change with the times. Sometimes in doing this, we must reinvent ourselves.
I feel like I am constantly morphing since I began working in August. I am trying to find myself as a professional, and what works best for me. For example, I have changed my methods for collecting data and organizing my information multiple times just to figure out which ways works the best for me. I won't hesistate to change it again, if I think something might work better. This is just one example of how I am changing to figure out what is most efficient. I believe it takes practice and experience to identify the best way to execute your plan.
Even with a great deal of experience, things will constantly change, technology will improve, laws might change, etc. I agree completely with Alan, 'the only constant is change'. We will need to change in order to be successful as the times change.
In all of my other job choices leading up to education, I was the subordinate. I always had someone else in charge, telling me what to do and how to do it. In education, I am more in charge. I make the lesson plans, and decide how to help the student make the most gains. I even have to orchestrate para dynamics and schedules. I have had to morph from a follower into a leader. My new role in the workplace has changed the way I interact with people outside my professional life also. I am quick to volunteer to lead projects ay church, in the community, and within my extended family as well. ~~Alan--I agree that teachers especially are constantly reinventing themselves on a professional basis. Similar to the proverbial "pendulum" in education, what is popular today may not be tomorrow. At the same time, if you wait long enough, it will probably come back to the popular side in a few years or so. ~~Jamie-- In Florida, I had so much change my head spun. In the 3 years I taught there, I had to move my entire classroom 5 times. We had to learn a new computer grading system every year, and they changed the IEP pages needed constantly. Guidelines changed, and even the formula to determine adequate yearly growth was different from year to year. Change is an part of education as much as my arm is part of my body.
OK, I didn’t think I was a Commander, now I know for sure I’m not…K-State was NOT a powerhouse in football when I attended; I can’t remember how many years it had been since they had a winning season. I am not an athlete, never was, never will be one. Whew! With that out of the way I can enjoy reading the rest of this chapter! I began teaching a long, long, long time ago. Special education was just beginning in public schools and IEPs hadn’t been thought of yet. Children with special needs were institutionalized, never to be seen in public. I taught in a self-contained classroom, traveled between buildings and districts, saw IEPs come into being, and went through mainstreaming and inclusion. Through all these changes, the student’s best interest was at the heart of the movement. I remember when students were just starting to be included that I told HPEC I’d try it for one year, if I didn’t think it was good for the students; they could find someone else to do the job. Teaching self-contained classes felt ‘safer’ for our students, I couldn’t imagine other teachers caring about or being fair to ‘my students.’ Even though I am not a Commander, I believe all people have to ‘morph’ in order to continue being effective whether it’s on the job or in other situations. Changing is growing and improving.
The most recent memorable “morph” time for me was when I started taking the online classes to get my special education endorsement. I made a conscious determined effort to complete it as quickly as possible. I was afraid that if I gave myself too much time to complete it that I might quit. This was one time in my life I shut everything out and focused only on the coursework. In looking back I know it was the determination and staying focused that did it. This was only time in my life I have acted/felt like a commander as it was over the course of 3 years. We may “morph” for a shorter period s of time, like this book blog. I had to convince myself it was worth the effort to complete it before I took it on and now I am determined to do it. dclodfelter-I can relate to moving. I have had to move rooms 4 times out of the last 5 years. I am always lost at the beginning of the year because I have forgotten where I have put things in the new room even though I have tried to keep it similar. Jerrie- I agree with you when you said, “I believe all people have to ‘morph’ in order to continue being effective whether it’s on the job or in other situations. Changing is growing and improving.” I think we are all “morphing” more than we realize when we do our jobs. We just view it as being part of the job.
I feel like I am constantly morphing. I think I am have morphed a lot since grade school. Growing up I always wanted to be a teacher and a good athlete. I worked really hard got good grades in High School and played 3 sports, (volleyball, basketball, and track. I think by being a student athlete as helped morph me into what I am today. I went on to college where I pursed my dream of being a teacher and an athlete. In 5 years I ran track for my university and got a degree in education. My first years of teachers also have morphed me into what I am today. Each year I learned how to get better and better at my job. Especially with helping my students with special needs. Our special education teacher never worked with them, so it was all on me. When I lost my job and I found HPEC and from there I went back to school and got my masters in Special education. It seems like everything in my life no matter what it is is helping me to become who I want to be. Even my husband and kids have morphed me into who I am today and will keep morphing as new changes happen in my life.
Dclodfelter- I agree with you. I have always had jobs where I felt subordinate and it has changed since I have gotten into education. It is nice to have a little control over what you do. I can also relate to moving. I have had to change rooms and buildings 3 times in the last 4 years. Jamie- I also feel like I am constantly morphing. I don't think we ever really stop. I know with me every change in my life has help morph me into what I am today.
While my children were young I worked as a substitute teacher. So each day I subbed, I morphed as I filled a different role in a different classroom; one day in the high school, the next day in the grade school. Then my teaching responsibilities included a Family & Consumer Ed position with an assignment in the school library. While I love to read and knew how to find books I I had a great mentor in the librarian and learned much from her. As a Cooperative Extension educator I taught both 4-H youth and adults in a non-traditional classroom. I enjoyed the hands-on, role model teaching and believe it is an excellent way to learn. After 10 years in extension, I moved back education in the schools with a teaching assignment that included high school P.E. ( a little out of my comfort zone in that my high school sports consisted of track) and then an assignment that included teaching elementary and high school computers. While refreshing my computer skills I learned to use Access for the very first time. I’m learning a new role in my current teaching assignment in the inter-related classroom and as I’m taking masters classes to become fully certified in special education.
Jerrie - From your description, classrooms have changed a great deal in a relatively short amount of time in regards to special education and how children are supported. Just thinking of how far they have come, it makes me optimistic to think about how much greater they will be in 30 years. Like many have said, change is constant, let's just all hope it's for the better!
As a school psychologist, my professional role looks a little different in every building/district I serve. Each administrator and district has a different philosophy of education and what they want from me. Thus, I feel like I morph every time I am assigned a new building, a new district, or an administrator changes. Years when I have worked in four districts and many buildings, I have had to adjust my role on a daily or sometimes almost hourly basis. This is not a negative thing, as it has helped me grow as a professional and exposed me to various roles that I can assume that will help improve student learning.
Jamie- The first few years are defined by constant change as you try to find what is both effective and comfortable for you.
Jerrie- I love your last line, as I totally agree changing is about growing and improving. As I accumulate years of service, I don't want to become too comfortable and get stuck in a rut. To be effective, all power types have to morph or get left behind.
I have always thought that a school psychologist would have to be constantly morphing. It sounds like change has helped you grow. In the field of education I think everyone has to change in order to serve students best.
Not just in my educational career, but also in most every aspect of my life thus far, I have been in a lesser sort of position. From parents, to teachers, to advisors, to supervisors, I’ve always had someone there telling me exactly what I need to do and how it needs to be done. Although those same types of people (or exact same individuals in some cases) still play a role in my life now, coming into my first year of being a full-blown adult, it feels like I have a lot more freedom. In some ways this is nice I guess, but in others, it’s been really scary. Morphing from a dependent child/student into a more independent adult/professional has been quite the experience, but hopefully I can keep learning as much as I can from these experiences in order to help me successfully evolve in the future.
Jamie K~ I completely relate to your comments about constantly morphing in your professional career since first beginning work in August. It seems like no matter how much you learn in school, it’s never going to fully prepare you for the real world. I’ve had to adapt what I was taught in grad school to better mesh with what I’m doing now, and I’m in 100% agreement when you stated that “it takes practice and experience to identify the best way to execute your plan.”
Jan~ I kind of had an “aha moment” when I read your comment about the level of morphing that goes on in a school psychologist’s profession. When I was first looking at this topic, the only “morph” I could really think of was the transition from student to professional. It didn’t even occur to me that school psychs are constantly adjusting their role to meet the needs of a particular district, building, or the immediate task at hand. I guess I’ve just always considered this to be an everyday, regular part of the job, so it didn’t even cross my mind!
I completely agree with your statements about being in a lesser position, as a student or worker, I also was always told what to do. As my first year I have had to make lots of decisions I have not previously had the authority to make before. This is very liberating and scary at the same time. I am trying to learn as much as I can from my first year of experience and I am so thankful I have an awesome mentor to ask advice.
I truly believe to do what we do you have to morph or as I say “roll with the punches” to make the most of some situations and to help our students grow. In some cases we morph at the beginning of a school year as we meet our new students and read through their IEP’s and design the day to meet their needs. Then there are some of our students that we morph half a dozen times through out the day because they are continuously changing.
As for myself I started 14 years ago in a regular education classroom teaching students in 4th grade that came from very prosperous and influential homes. The next year I moved up to 5th grade I did not keep the same students from the year before so I had to learn an entirely new group of kids and a new curriculum. In the mean time my husband took on a position in western KS so that spring I started looking at interviewing. When I interviewed in Colby I was looking at a 4th grade position. During the interview I mentioned that I was interested in going back to college and furthering my degree with a Masters in Technology or Special Education at the time was undecided. When the principal got home that night from our interview she called she had a letter of resignation on her desk from her current IR teacher. She wanted to know if I would be interested in starting that Master’s Degree early! After some careful consideration I accepted the position and made the move to Oakley and taught SPED for 3-5th grade in Colby. While there I worked on earning my MS in SPED and had the first of our two children. Talk about morphing! 5 years later we moved to Scott City and I morphed again going from being and IR teacher to the Gifted Facilitator.
Life IS a box of chocolates Russell Stover’s assorted variety that is LOL!
I think that in our jobs if we don't morph-we can't be effective! I believe that you can't do the same thing year after year and continue to be a quality educator. I enjoy learning new strategies to use with children-I want to do what is best for them and if someone has a new way of working with children I am willing to try. Someone told me one day that I didn't act like a "old" teacher because I liked to continue to learn new strategies. To me that was a compliment.
Jan-I never thought about morphing on a daily/weekly basis-I have had the luxury to stay in one district, but I do think I morph depending on which classroom I am in. Ashley-I agree with your statement about marriage and children casing you to morph. My children are all grown and out on their own, but different situations they are in, cases me to morph to know how to help them "grow up".
Being it is my first year, I have definitely had to morph. The context of which I student taught under was quite different from the environment in which I am teaching now. Although my previous experience was amazing and instrumental in many of the teaching techniques, organizational skills, and knowledge that I have gained, I learned a lot this year. Things I have had to morph include everything from figuring out the format of writing a Kansas IEP, to what behavior and academic success to expect from my students. I have learned so much this year, and I definitely wouldn't trade it. Dana - I agree with you that we have to morph to be effective, especially within special education. Each child benefits more from different styles of teaching, and figuring out the styles that work best requires morphing our teaching styles to accommodate their needs. blhoryna - Your comment to Jamie about school not preparing you for the real world mad me giggle. Every teacher I visited with while sitting in observing their classroom always told me that school teaches you philosophies of what works in the classroom, but experience will teach you it much faster... Not saying my education didn't teach me anything, because it did, but it is very true. You will quickly find out what educational strategies work and don't work with each student.
If morph means to be adaptable, agile, flexible, then yes I morph. I have to be adaptable because I work with so many different people and different personalities, I would not get anything accomplished if I didn’t accommodate others’ needs. By that I mean-not giving up or giving in-working and collaborating with these different people and their power genes.
Jan I guess I was right about what morphing means. We do morph weekly, daily, and hourly!
Brittany You are doing a good morphing job! We have to morph at school psych. meetings sometimes!HA!
Let's see, in the past 35 years, I have been a Home Ec teacher (That was the old days when Family and Consumer Science was called Home Ec.); volleyball coach, k-12 Counselor, School Psychologist and Administrator. I always thought if there was a job for a professional student, then sign me up. I like to learn new things. I figure when I quit learning I will be dead. Education is a field where the good teachers change with the times and the others just stagnate! I really feel that resilience is an important quality. It is so very true that each of us has to change a multitude of times throughout the day depending on who we are working with. The demands put on teachers on a daily basis can so easily lead to burn out if you are not resilient. There is also a need to find balance in our lives so that the stress does not get to us. I like to think we need to play as hard as we work. To take time for ourselves and family; enjoy the quiet times; rest and relax!
Jerrie and Alan: Yes I do remember all of those things. We "oldtimers" have been through a lot in our lifetimes. We have seen so many changes in education and life in general.
To all the Newbies: Just think what changes you will see in your lifetime. Be prepared for anything. Live your life as one big adventure because it truly is.
I believe that being a special education teacher demands that you morph! I have always firmly believed that we have to get along with everyone in order to provide the best for our students. That means that we have to work with people with various personalities (charmers, pleasers, commanders, and inspirers). Those different personalities are the teachers, students, administrators, parents, staff that we work with on a daily basis. If someone is upset with us, they may not be willing to work with us in order to provide the best education that our students deserve. So..... sometimes we bite our lip and smile when we might want to chew a little!!
In addition, I believe that HPEC has caused me to morph. HPEC is always looking for ways to be in the vanguard so that we can be efficient in helping our students. I look at the various types of technologies that I have learned how to utilize in my classroom because of the desire to provide the best possible instruction for helping students, etc... smartboards, I-pads, reading pens, document cameras......
Well I am not as old as some of you "old timers", but I remember the paper forms we used to write the IEPs and when we started talking about not busing our students to other districts. WE HAVE CAME A LONG WAY BABE!!!
When I was in 7th grade I knew I wanted to be a Phys. Ed. teacher and so attended college and became what I wanted to be my whole life. Well, guess what??? When a scary situation happened to my family in Dodge City, I no longer got to live my dream and I had to quickly morph into being a special education teacher with ALOT of reservations about if I could do it. After 20 years of being in the educational field (7 as PE and 13 as SPED) I know I am able to morph into whatever situation I need to change for. I constantly am having to change/morph with my job because I love the technology side of it and if I don't learn about the new stuff, I'll get passed by.
Everyday everyone morphs in 1 way or another just dealing with this crazy thing called life. *Amy, I remember those crazy classes @ Oakley lol...we had to morph that 1 night when we showed up with the sign that said "No Talking!!!" remember???
My first teaching job mophed me into a multi-tasking person who was teaching two very different grades. I taught pre-school in the morning and 2nd graders in the afternoon. I learned to adapt and always be on my toes. I have now morphed into middle school spec. Ed. Teacher. I guess you never know what kinds of things life will throw your way.
There is a quote from the book, “Commanders don’t quit, they morph.” How have you had to “morph” in your educational career?
I have morphed my entire educational career. Even when I student taught I had to wear two different "hats". I did half of the semester in an all day kindergarten setting and the second half in a 7th grade language arts setting. When I graduated I moved to Fort Worth, TX and taught all day kindergarten. I was an ESL teacher and 99.9% of the students in the 500+ PK-5 inner city school were hispanic. Wow - did I ever have to morph during my time there! After that experience I moved back to Kansas where I have taught second grade, 7th & 8th grade Tech. Lab., 4/5 combination, 6/7/8 science and social studies, been a K-8 principal, and now a K/1 sped. teacher. No - I am not a charmer LOL :). I do not mind change and love a new challenge. I have learned something from each job I've had. All of this knowledge comes in handy when working in an educational setting. I feel like I am armed for any battle. No - I am not a commander either! :) I guess I am a combination of all the power genes. I am more of a pleaser than anything. Maybe the reason I am so willing to change is because I am so willing to please.
I agree with Jan, as a school psychologist, walking into different buildings through the day can require a "morph". I hear Alan, too, that having kids changes you in ways you would have never expected, priorities, empathy, time managment... Working in education, change is to be expected. My grandmother would talk about the cycles in education that swing like a pendulum every 15-20 years. Learning as we move through each of those cycles essential to progress in the field.
Marcy: The boys and I have the motto: work hard, play hard. When one of them trained as a rodeo clown, I was a bit surprised (as he is my most practical) and now that he does bareback bronc riding I'm thinking he may have taken this a bit too far!
We start our educational careers as students who are given assignments that must be completed at appropriate levels. I went on to become a high school English teacher where I was giving assignments to a diverse group of students, some who were not as enthralled with English as I was. I then got married. I also got out of Education, a situation that resulted in my receiving a good hands on education in getting along with a diverse group of individuals. Being married does not cause you to change as much as the next step, having children. Children educate their parents as much as parents educate their children. I then went back to college through the school psychology program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Coming to Ulysses to work for HPEC eventually caused my wife and I to look for a house and uproot our family. In terms of morphing, I have changed as High Plains has changed. Remember CBM, remember the three-year IEP, remember when the general curriculum was in the superintendent's office getting dusty and when No Child Left Behind was the prayer of elementary teachers who hoped they didn't miss any kids on their field trip to the zoo? The only constant is change. If we want to be successful, we need to change with the times. Sometimes in doing this, we must reinvent ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I am constantly morphing since I began working in August. I am trying to find myself as a professional, and what works best for me. For example, I have changed my methods for collecting data and organizing my information multiple times just to figure out which ways works the best for me. I won't hesistate to change it again, if I think something might work better. This is just one example of how I am changing to figure out what is most efficient. I believe it takes practice and experience to identify the best way to execute your plan.
ReplyDeleteEven with a great deal of experience, things will constantly change, technology will improve, laws might change, etc. I agree completely with Alan, 'the only constant is change'. We will need to change in order to be successful as the times change.
I agree with you that regardless of the experience you have change is necessary in order to be successful.
DeleteIn all of my other job choices leading up to education, I was the subordinate. I always had someone else in charge, telling me what to do and how to do it. In education, I am more in charge. I make the lesson plans, and decide how to help the student make the most gains. I even have to orchestrate para dynamics and schedules. I have had to morph from a follower into a leader. My new role in the workplace has changed the way I interact with people outside my professional life also. I am quick to volunteer to lead projects ay church, in the community, and within my extended family as well.
ReplyDelete~~Alan--I agree that teachers especially are constantly reinventing themselves on a professional basis. Similar to the proverbial "pendulum" in education, what is popular today may not be tomorrow. At the same time, if you wait long enough, it will probably come back to the popular side in a few years or so.
~~Jamie-- In Florida, I had so much change my head spun. In the 3 years I taught there, I had to move my entire classroom 5 times. We had to learn a new computer grading system every year, and they changed the IEP pages needed constantly. Guidelines changed, and even the formula to determine adequate yearly growth was different from year to year. Change is an part of education as much as my arm is part of my body.
OK, I didn’t think I was a Commander, now I know for sure I’m not…K-State was NOT a powerhouse in football when I attended; I can’t remember how many years it had been since they had a winning season. I am not an athlete, never was, never will be one. Whew! With that out of the way I can enjoy reading the rest of this chapter!
ReplyDeleteI began teaching a long, long, long time ago. Special education was just beginning in public schools and IEPs hadn’t been thought of yet. Children with special needs were institutionalized, never to be seen in public. I taught in a self-contained classroom, traveled between buildings and districts, saw IEPs come into being, and went through mainstreaming and inclusion. Through all these changes, the student’s best interest was at the heart of the movement. I remember when students were just starting to be included that I told HPEC I’d try it for one year, if I didn’t think it was good for the students; they could find someone else to do the job. Teaching self-contained classes felt ‘safer’ for our students, I couldn’t imagine other teachers caring about or being fair to ‘my students.’
Even though I am not a Commander, I believe all people have to ‘morph’ in order to continue being effective whether it’s on the job or in other situations. Changing is growing and improving.
The most recent memorable “morph” time for me was when I started taking the online classes to get my special education endorsement. I made a conscious determined effort to complete it as quickly as possible. I was afraid that if I gave myself too much time to complete it that I might quit. This was one time in my life I shut everything out and focused only on the coursework. In looking back I know it was the determination and staying focused that did it. This was only time in my life I have acted/felt like a commander as it was over the course of 3 years. We may “morph” for a shorter period s of time, like this book blog. I had to convince myself it was worth the effort to complete it before I took it on and now I am determined to do it.
ReplyDeletedclodfelter-I can relate to moving. I have had to move rooms 4 times out of the last 5 years. I am always lost at the beginning of the year because I have forgotten where I have put things in the new room even though I have tried to keep it similar.
Jerrie- I agree with you when you said, “I believe all people have to ‘morph’ in order to continue being effective whether it’s on the job or in other situations. Changing is growing and improving.” I think we are all “morphing” more than we realize when we do our jobs. We just view it as being part of the job.
I feel like I am constantly morphing. I think I am have morphed a lot since grade school. Growing up I always wanted to be a teacher and a good athlete. I worked really hard got good grades in High School and played 3 sports, (volleyball, basketball, and track. I think by being a student athlete as helped morph me into what I am today. I went on to college where I pursed my dream of being a teacher and an athlete. In 5 years I ran track for my university and got a degree in education. My first years of teachers also have morphed me into what I am today. Each year I learned how to get better and better at my job. Especially with helping my students with special needs. Our special education teacher never worked with them, so it was all on me. When I lost my job and I found HPEC and from there I went back to school and got my masters in Special education. It seems like everything in my life no matter what it is is helping me to become who I want to be. Even my husband and kids have morphed me into who I am today and will keep morphing as new changes happen in my life.
ReplyDeleteDclodfelter- I agree with you. I have always had jobs where I felt subordinate and it has changed since I have gotten into education. It is nice to have a little control over what you do. I can also relate to moving. I have had to change rooms and buildings 3 times in the last 4 years.
Jamie- I also feel like I am constantly morphing. I don't think we ever really stop. I know with me every change in my life has help morph me into what I am today.
While my children were young I worked as a substitute teacher. So each day I subbed, I morphed as I filled a different role in a different classroom; one day in the high school, the next day in the grade school.
ReplyDeleteThen my teaching responsibilities included a Family & Consumer Ed position with an assignment in the school library. While I love to read and knew how to find books I I had a great mentor in the librarian and learned much from her. As a Cooperative Extension educator I taught both 4-H youth and adults in a non-traditional classroom. I enjoyed the hands-on, role model teaching and believe it is an excellent way to learn. After 10 years in extension, I moved back education in the schools with a teaching assignment that included high school P.E. ( a little out of my comfort zone in that my high school sports consisted of track) and then an assignment that included teaching elementary and high school computers. While refreshing my computer skills I learned to use Access for the very first time. I’m learning a new role in my current teaching assignment in the inter-related classroom and as I’m taking masters classes to become fully certified in special education.
Jerrie - From your description, classrooms have changed a great deal in a relatively short amount of time in regards to special education and how children are supported. Just thinking of how far they have come, it makes me optimistic to think about how much greater they will be in 30 years. Like many have said, change is constant, let's just all hope it's for the better!
ReplyDeleteAs a school psychologist, my professional role looks a little different in every building/district I serve. Each administrator and district has a different philosophy of education and what they want from me. Thus, I feel like I morph every time I am assigned a new building, a new district, or an administrator changes. Years when I have worked in four districts and many buildings, I have had to adjust my role on a daily or sometimes almost hourly basis. This is not a negative thing, as it has helped me grow as a professional and exposed me to various roles that I can assume that will help improve student learning.
ReplyDeleteJamie- The first few years are defined by constant change as you try to find what is both effective and comfortable for you.
Jerrie- I love your last line, as I totally agree changing is about growing and improving. As I accumulate years of service, I don't want to become too comfortable and get stuck in a rut. To be effective, all power types have to morph or get left behind.
I have always thought that a school psychologist would have to be constantly morphing. It sounds like change has helped you grow. In the field of education I think everyone has to change in order to serve students best.
DeleteNot just in my educational career, but also in most every aspect of my life thus far, I have been in a lesser sort of position. From parents, to teachers, to advisors, to supervisors, I’ve always had someone there telling me exactly what I need to do and how it needs to be done. Although those same types of people (or exact same individuals in some cases) still play a role in my life now, coming into my first year of being a full-blown adult, it feels like I have a lot more freedom. In some ways this is nice I guess, but in others, it’s been really scary. Morphing from a dependent child/student into a more independent adult/professional has been quite the experience, but hopefully I can keep learning as much as I can from these experiences in order to help me successfully evolve in the future.
ReplyDeleteJamie K~
I completely relate to your comments about constantly morphing in your professional career since first beginning work in August. It seems like no matter how much you learn in school, it’s never going to fully prepare you for the real world. I’ve had to adapt what I was taught in grad school to better mesh with what I’m doing now, and I’m in 100% agreement when you stated that “it takes practice and experience to identify the best way to execute your plan.”
Jan~
I kind of had an “aha moment” when I read your comment about the level of morphing that goes on in a school psychologist’s profession. When I was first looking at this topic, the only “morph” I could really think of was the transition from student to professional. It didn’t even occur to me that school psychs are constantly adjusting their role to meet the needs of a particular district, building, or the immediate task at hand. I guess I’ve just always considered this to be an everyday, regular part of the job, so it didn’t even cross my mind!
I completely agree with your statements about being in a lesser position, as a student or worker, I also was always told what to do. As my first year I have had to make lots of decisions I have not previously had the authority to make before. This is very liberating and scary at the same time. I am trying to learn as much as I can from my first year of experience and I am so thankful I have an awesome mentor to ask advice.
DeleteI truly believe to do what we do you have to morph or as I say “roll with the punches” to make the most of some situations and to help our students grow. In some cases we morph at the beginning of a school year as we meet our new students and read through their IEP’s and design the day to meet their needs. Then there are some of our students that we morph half a dozen times through out the day because they are continuously changing.
ReplyDeleteAs for myself I started 14 years ago in a regular education classroom teaching students in 4th grade that came from very prosperous and influential homes. The next year I moved up to 5th grade I did not keep the same students from the year before so I had to learn an entirely new group of kids and a new curriculum. In the mean time my husband took on a position in western KS so that spring I started looking at interviewing. When I interviewed in Colby I was looking at a 4th grade position. During the interview I mentioned that I was interested in going back to college and furthering my degree with a Masters in Technology or Special Education at the time was undecided. When the principal got home that night from our interview she called she had a letter of resignation on her desk from her current IR teacher. She wanted to know if I would be interested in starting that Master’s Degree early! After some careful consideration I accepted the position and made the move to Oakley and taught SPED for 3-5th grade in Colby. While there I worked on earning my MS in SPED and had the first of our two children. Talk about morphing! 5 years later we moved to Scott City and I morphed again going from being and IR teacher to the Gifted Facilitator.
Life IS a box of chocolates Russell Stover’s assorted variety that is LOL!
I think that in our jobs if we don't morph-we can't be effective! I believe that you can't do the same thing year after year and continue to be a quality educator. I enjoy learning new strategies to use with children-I want to do what is best for them and if someone has a new way of working with children I am willing to try.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me one day that I didn't act like a "old" teacher because I liked to continue to learn new strategies. To me that was a compliment.
Jan-I never thought about morphing on a daily/weekly basis-I have had the luxury to stay in one district, but I do think I morph depending on which classroom I am in.
Ashley-I agree with your statement about marriage and children casing you to morph. My children are all grown and out on their own, but different situations they are in, cases me to morph to know how to help them "grow up".
Being it is my first year, I have definitely had to morph. The context of which I student taught under was quite different from the environment in which I am teaching now. Although my previous experience was amazing and instrumental in many of the teaching techniques, organizational skills, and knowledge that I have gained, I learned a lot this year. Things I have had to morph include everything from figuring out the format of writing a Kansas IEP, to what behavior and academic success to expect from my students. I have learned so much this year, and I definitely wouldn't trade it.
ReplyDeleteDana - I agree with you that we have to morph to be effective, especially within special education. Each child benefits more from different styles of teaching, and figuring out the styles that work best requires morphing our teaching styles to accommodate their needs.
blhoryna - Your comment to Jamie about school not preparing you for the real world mad me giggle. Every teacher I visited with while sitting in observing their classroom always told me that school teaches you philosophies of what works in the classroom, but experience will teach you it much faster... Not saying my education didn't teach me anything, because it did, but it is very true. You will quickly find out what educational strategies work and don't work with each student.
Alan: I like your statement that children educate parents...and change us the most.
ReplyDeleteMany of you have mentioned how our careers as teachers and the changes involved are building us as people as we're "changing" as we go.
Chapter Six
ReplyDeleteIf morph means to be adaptable, agile, flexible, then yes I morph. I have to be adaptable because I work with so many different people and different personalities, I would not get anything accomplished if I didn’t accommodate others’ needs. By that I mean-not giving up or giving in-working and collaborating with these different people and their power genes.
Jan
I guess I was right about what morphing means. We do morph weekly, daily, and hourly!
Brittany
You are doing a good morphing job! We have to morph at school psych. meetings sometimes!HA!
Let's see, in the past 35 years, I have been a Home Ec teacher (That was the old days when Family and Consumer Science was called Home Ec.); volleyball coach, k-12 Counselor, School Psychologist and Administrator. I always thought if there was a job for a professional student, then sign me up. I like to learn new things. I figure when I quit learning I will be dead. Education is a field where the good teachers change with the times and the others just stagnate!
ReplyDeleteI really feel that resilience is an important quality. It is so very true that each of us has to change a multitude of times throughout the day depending on who we are working with. The demands put on teachers on a daily basis can so easily lead to burn out if you are not resilient. There is also a need to find balance in our lives so that the stress does not get to us. I like to think we need to play as hard as we work. To take time for ourselves and family; enjoy the quiet times; rest and relax!
Jerrie and Alan: Yes I do remember all of those things. We "oldtimers" have been through a lot in our lifetimes. We have seen so many changes in education and life in general.
To all the Newbies: Just think what changes you will see in your lifetime. Be prepared for anything. Live your life as one big adventure because it truly is.
I believe that being a special education teacher demands that you morph! I have always firmly believed that we have to get along with everyone in order to provide the best for our students. That means that we have to work with people with various personalities (charmers, pleasers, commanders, and inspirers). Those different personalities are the teachers, students, administrators, parents, staff that we work with on a daily basis. If someone is upset with us, they may not be willing to work with us in order to provide the best education that our students deserve. So..... sometimes we bite our lip and smile when we might want to chew a little!!
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I believe that HPEC has caused me to morph. HPEC is always looking for ways to be in the vanguard so that we can be efficient in helping our students. I look at the various types of technologies that I have learned how to utilize in my classroom because of the desire to provide the best possible instruction for helping students, etc... smartboards, I-pads, reading pens, document cameras......
Well I am not as old as some of you "old timers", but I remember the paper forms we used to write the IEPs and when we started talking about not busing our students to other districts. WE HAVE CAME A LONG WAY BABE!!!
When I was in 7th grade I knew I wanted to be a Phys. Ed. teacher and so attended college and became what I wanted to be my whole life. Well, guess what??? When a scary situation happened to my family in Dodge City, I no longer got to live my dream and I had to quickly morph into being a special education teacher with ALOT of reservations about if I could do it. After 20 years of being in the educational field (7 as PE and 13 as SPED) I know I am able to morph into whatever situation I need to change for. I constantly am having to change/morph with my job because I love the technology side of it and if I don't learn about the new stuff, I'll get passed by.
ReplyDeleteEveryday everyone morphs in 1 way or another just dealing with this crazy thing called life. *Amy, I remember those crazy classes @ Oakley lol...we had to morph that 1 night when we showed up with the sign that said "No Talking!!!" remember???
My first teaching job mophed me into a multi-tasking person who was teaching two very different grades. I taught pre-school in the morning and 2nd graders in the afternoon. I learned to adapt and always be on my toes. I have now morphed into middle school spec. Ed. Teacher. I guess you never know what kinds of things life will throw your way.
ReplyDeleteThere is a quote from the book, “Commanders don’t quit, they morph.” How have you had to “morph” in your educational career?
ReplyDeleteI have morphed my entire educational career. Even when I student taught I had to wear two different "hats". I did half of the semester in an all day kindergarten setting and the second half in a 7th grade language arts setting. When I graduated I moved to Fort Worth, TX and taught all day kindergarten. I was an ESL teacher and 99.9% of the students in the 500+ PK-5 inner city school were hispanic. Wow - did I ever have to morph during my time there! After that experience I moved back to Kansas where I have taught second grade, 7th & 8th grade Tech. Lab., 4/5 combination, 6/7/8 science and social studies, been a K-8 principal, and now a K/1 sped. teacher. No - I am not a charmer LOL :). I do not mind change and love a new challenge. I have learned something from each job I've had. All of this knowledge comes in handy when working in an educational setting. I feel like I am armed for any battle. No - I am not a commander either! :) I guess I am a combination of all the power genes. I am more of a pleaser than anything. Maybe the reason I am so willing to change is because I am so willing to please.
I agree with Jan, as a school psychologist, walking into different buildings through the day can require a "morph". I hear Alan, too, that having kids changes you in ways you would have never expected, priorities, empathy, time managment... Working in education, change is to be expected. My grandmother would talk about the cycles in education that swing like a pendulum every 15-20 years. Learning as we move through each of those cycles essential to progress in the field.
ReplyDeleteMarcy: The boys and I have the motto: work hard, play hard. When one of them trained as a rodeo clown, I was a bit surprised (as he is my most practical) and now that he does bareback bronc riding I'm thinking he may have taken this a bit too far!
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