Awesome or Weak?

 I hope you will take the time to read past the list below because I still can not believe this true story myself.  It's one of the many, many "crazy" things that continually occur at my job that will never make sense to me.

If you have ever been a teacher, you remember lesson plans.  If not, you can probably figure out what I mean.  At our building lesson plans must include the following:

• What is the lesson being taught?
• What are the materials being used with the lesson?
• Which level of Bloom's does each activity of the lesson demonstrate?
• Which of Marzano's Strategies are being used in the lesson?
• What are the objectives for the day?
• What are the expected student outcomes?
• How is the lesson differentiated for students of different ability levels?
• How will the students be assessed?  
• Etc, Etc, Etc

We have four 5th grade teachers that teach the same subject and they all work together on lesson plans and then one of them types up the lesson plans that all four of them use.  They were given prior approval to do it this way.

An "unnamed" supervisor checks lesson plans every Monday.   The supervisor goes into room A, reads the lesson plans and writes comments like, "Awesome, great job, keep it up".

About two hours later, the same supervisor goes into room B, opens up that teacher's lesson plan binder and writes comments like "Weak, needs improvement".

Remember, the lesson plans are IDENTICAL and aparently the supervisor doesn't even remember reading them earlier in the day!!

Entering a New Stage of Life

I was curious about how many stages of life the "experts" designate and it varies from 3-9 depending upon whether you consult the writings of Erikson, Confucious, or a handful of others.  They all do agree on the stage I am entering:  Late Adulthood begins around 60 or 65 with the onset of retirement. (I'll be 60 in a few months)

RETIREMENT!!

I began this school year with the intention of finishing but my plans have changed.  I have been sick every week since school started, my immunity is way down, and I am still trying to recover from my second bout with bronchitis.   The job is taking more from me than I am willing to give so I gave my letter of resignation last week.  My official date is December 20th or before if they hire my replacement and want me to leave sooner.

I feel totally at peace with this decision!  I haven't felt one moment of regret since I gave notice!!  I have begun making notes for my replacement as I am working each day.  He or she will be overwhelmed no matter how much I try to help beforehand, but I'll still do what I can.

I have been thinking a lot about the things I will be able to do when I'm no longer working full-time.

• Travel with Dan on his trips West (he's been going for years and I haven't been able to join him)
• Visit my kids and grandkids more often and when I want to not just when school is out
• Visit my sisters in Ohio more often than every 4-5 years
• Teach classes at church
• Join a book club
• Join a bowling league
• Volunteer in my community
• Find a hobby I never tried before
• Go back to my Ancestry research

 I'm sure I will think of many other thing's to do but that is a start to my list. 

My sister and talk often and she told me that I would "know" when it was time.

Well, Sis, you were RIGHT!!  It's time.