My move to Cali was not only a change in location, but a career transition as well. I knew when I moved that I may never teach again (in the traditional classroom setting), and I was okay with that for several reasons. I had just wrapped up my first year teaching fifth grade in my ideal school - Marquette Elementary in Madison, Wisconsin. My group of students was amazing, coworkers incredible, parents supportive and involved - I had an inkling I may never have a better teaching situation (what happened to saving the best for last?!). On the flip side, teaching came with countless trials, tribulations, and signs the system was not improving, but changing in detrimental ways. Literally fun-sucking, our education system does not set teachers nor students up for success. Working 12+ hour days and every weekend was painful. Once in a blue moon, I'd have a day where I didn't physically work, but still, I struggled with the ability to mentally detach from my responsibilities. Contemplating the unceasing number of tasks on my docket was like a wet blanket on my supposedly School-free Day Parade. Dedicated, upbeat, hard-working, diligent, responsible for America's future....all for a minimal monetary reward. Of course, rewards come in all shapes and sizes, but let's not forget Darwin and "The Origin of Species." Maybe if I wasn't dependent on a sole income, things would have been different, but that was not the case. To not only survive, but thrive, I made the decision to move on. Immensely grateful for the skills, friendships, experiences, and insight working in the field of education imparted, I am now happier than I've ever been. I have a life. I can enjoy time with friends. I don't feel like there is a dark cloud of never-ending doom hovering above. I've found ways to use my skills in different settings. This past July I welcomed my first student to "SchoolHouse Rock" - my home teaching service. This strictly volunteer service has brought me incredible joy. This is what teaching should be - fun!
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK: A VOLUNTEER TUTORING SERVICE
Terrifically nostalgic: Setting up my in-home classroom; reminiscent of my early childhood when I frequently played school with friends and stuffed animals and obsessed over trying to have perfect handwriting on the chalkboard:)
UPDATES: AN EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVE
New addition to my duties as Office Manager: Employee Communications. First task tackled: "Updates" - a slideshow created to keep employees in the loop as our company continues to expand. Below is a clip of the #pushupcrew: A GRASSROOTS CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAM. Established early September 2016, the crew continues to grow and participants leave revitalized and ready to conquer the next task at hand.....with a smile:)
CONNECT 4 CROWN: BOOSTING CULTURE
The intense fervor for Connect 4 was palpable following our last happy hour. This observation led to the idea of organizing a Connect 4 tournament for the office. Free fun - what could be better?! Below is an email correspondence regarding the Connect 4 Crown.
SKITTLES, TASTE THE RAINBOW: CHANGING THE PACE
A recent revamp of the Event Committee has resulted in fun times at HQ. While planning our September Birthday Celebration, I knew I wanted to do something different, fun, and engaging......cue pinata! Routines are boring. Throw something new in the mix and I assure the results will be positive:) Don't be ordinary. Be EXTRAORDINARY!
CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE UNDESIRABLE
The parallels between teaching and office management are certainly not hard to come by. In both professions, one has to deal with situations they'd rather not....but who else is going to do it? Office managers and teachers "get shit done". Below is an example of that. Reports of various natures are received and I must determine the appropriate correspondence for the intended audience. At times frustrating - I choose to flip the script and my outlook on the situation. The communication below resulted from reports of smoke odors in the building. Because we're all adults, my goal was to create a message that served as a light reminder of our policy with a dash of funny on top.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
You create your own destiny. You should be happy. If you aren't, determine what needs to change and if that is a career transition, so be it. That's exactly how we'd advise our students - do it for yourself.