One thing that really bothers me about itinerant teaching is that I never have time. I feel as if I never have time to work on my lesson plans, to reflect, and to teach. The mountains of paperwork, never ending meetings, and constant planning and preparing leaves me little time to talk and work with my students, their teachers, classmates, and family members. Sometimes I just want to sit and talk with some of my students and hear their ideas and feelings, instead of hurriedly working on the set goals and objectives, collecting the data, and getting them back to their classes on time.
When I do pull out some of my students, sometimes there are no quiet rooms available at the moment and ten minutes can be wasted as we walk around searching for a quiet room.
The constant traveling to different schools doesn't help much. Sometimes I get stuck in traffic or behind some slow moving truck, making me late for my next student or meeting, costing me even more time.
I would like more time to sit down with teachers and administrators and have open honest discussions as we work together to figure out how to solve the many problems and issues surrounding each deaf and hard of hearing student.
I would absolutely love to meet and talk with the parents and family members of each student more often.
Most of all, I would love to have more time to get together with the other deaf and hard of hearing itinerant teacher to share our hopes, fears, frustrations, questions, ideas, and lesson plans.
I am currently working on trying to manage my time wisely so I can have more time to do all of the things I feel is more important than making sure a document was signed or faxed properly. I can't keep staying late at the office until 5 or 6, waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning, spending lunch, or spending some of the weekends catching up on paperwork.
(e
Isn't there a way to plan ahead, find out what rooms are available so that you don't waste time looking? Maybe set up meeting with each principal and see if a room can be reserved when you show up. That makes a lot sense than wasting time. ;)
ReplyDeleteCandy~
Yes, I have, at some schools, designated rooms for me and my students. However, sometimes the principal or teachers will not know about or will forget to tell me about the usually vacant rooms being used for a workshop or another class. But, trying to find another room does not happen often.
ReplyDeletePlanning ahead is always the best thing to do--maybe I should meet with the principal to talk to her about other possible rooms that will be available in case the room I usually use is occupied.
Thanks Candy. :)
"Reserving" a room does help. Although I have also run across the following: "We can't tie up a room just for you - you're only here once a week." Or I have the room reserved and then, "Oops we forgot you were going to be in today!"
ReplyDeleteHi, (e,
ReplyDeleteI took a speech class years ago and the library had a small office in the back where we met for one on one. It was very small, and the acoustics were great! Perhaps the Librarians have something available for you once a week? I'm not sure how many students you need accommodations for, but sometimes other staff members aside from the administration office can be very helpful. Just a thought. :-)