Update on making lemonade

Update to making lemonade: http://theamyrudder.blogspot.com/2012/05/lemonade.html  Earlier in the month of May, I wrote about how when life serves you lemons, you make lemonade and being the chef, I could choose to make lemonade (fancy) and go for the position of "Instructional Specialist" or (simple) and decide to go back to the classroom-neither job is easy for I always plan and make my recipes with the greatest of care...and as Ruth so eloquently stated in her comment, "It's not just about the end result, but the steps along the way that are valuable."

I decided to try for the instructional specialist position.  This really has been about the process...being introspective and reflecting and thinking all about the characteristics and talents that I bring to the kitchen...I called it the "Learner's Cafe".  First I was thinking about the resume.  I wondered how I could articulate what I had to offer and include it on my resume?  I decided the important things that aligned with the position description and my career history had to be summed up by using two pages-one just wasn't enough.  I want to personally thank Diana Martin One Literacy Coach for giving great advice on resumes and asking me deep thinking questions to prepare me for getting into interview mode...

The interview was very intense.  I never experienced anything like it before!  One part that I have to share about is for the first 30 minutes, we were handed a case study, had to read it, and then write in response to what we would do knowing about the fictitious school's  history and data upon meeting with the principal.  I felt confident in my writing ability and I know it's partly because I have been working to improve my writing skills and thought processes about writing since I have joined the TWT Slice of Life Community.  As nervous as I was-as soon as I sat down and began to read and write, I felt like this sense of calm came over me and I knew I could do this.

Last week, I heard, after the interview process was over, that I was selected to be part of a pool of newly named "Instructional Specialists" formerly "Literacy Coaches" that buildings could now choose to hire with their Title I money...so now I wait to find out where and if I will be selected or go back to the classroom.  It's been an incredible learning journey, no matter what happens, I have learned so much.  Thank you to the community for all you offer to each of us who joins in this opportunity and experience!  My life will be forever changed by what I learn from you!

Lemonade...

In the café of Life, when you’re handed lemons…you make lemonade of course!

Last Friday, a gigantic pile of lemons landed in front of me!  The district I currently work for decided due to budget cuts that they are eliminating all of the literacy and math coach positions.  Here’s where the lemonade part comes to fruition.  I have the choice of two possible lemonade recipes, filling out the transfer paperwork to go straight back to the classroom (simple recipe) or applying for and hopefully interviewing for the “reclassified” more generalized “instructional coach” position (more complicated recipe).  Even if applying for and interviewing for the coach position, if I should not be chosen,  I would still go back to the classroom.   I am thinking of going for the coaching position…I love what I do as a coach but the caveat is the Site Improvement Planning Teams have to make the decision to “purchase” your services with their School Improvement Title I Budgets.  So, that makes me unsure…should I go for the more complicated lemonade recipe-re-applying for the coach position or keep it simple and go back to the classroom?  What to do?  Your advice please?