Only Connect (w/ your clothes (& calendar))

This TED Talk (7.5 min.) was recommended to me by a friend in education but is a good watch for most anyone involved with people. 

 

Rita Pierson, "Every Kid Needs a Champion", TED Talk, 2013, 15,498,317 views

My friend says there's a lot of talk in education about making connections, getting to know students: "This will all be obvious stuff to you."

Yes, it wouldn't occur to me that making connections with students wouldn't be top priority for teachers, though I recall that from being a student that it isn't necessarily. And it should be every manager's priority too, which, again, manifestly it is not. This friend told me she knows teachers who went back to being assistants because they found that working with the students is only half a teacher's job---the other half is dealing with parents, administrators, committees, paperwork, and BS.   That's what Abby says too--she loved being a special-ed teacher for 30+ years but relishes the freedom of being an assistant. I start in one week, and I've decided to stop trying to cram in preparation. I had a little panic last night about clothes, and Marz said, "You don't have to change what you wear." Ohthankgod, that's right. She's right! I like some of what I've bought, but I'll feel more confident if I wear something familiar at first. I don't have to change what I wear, and I can't change who I am anyway.  It might be helpful, but I can't import years of experience I don't have. I'll draw on experience with adults and memories of BEING a young person. I said in the job interview, "I remember how hard it was just to navigate the hallways in high school," and the interviewers nodded. Turns out one of my duties will be walking students to their next classroom. Perfect! I can feel good about doing that, and I have the clothes for it. And now, a new 2024 weekly calendar too--the one I had was too small. There weren't many to choose from this late in the year, so I chose the right size and Moominified the front cover. P.S. Speaking of connecting, I'm happy that it's being no problem to spend little time on Facebook: there's not much happening there, even less than before, so far as I can see. But I'm glad to see posts from my new workplace and things like that.