Dana Shuhaibar | Welcome To My World

What a Week!

Wow! Life as a teacher was so different than life as an AP. What a week it has been. I travelled to Abu Dhabi for the NESA leadership conference. That was 5 nights and 6 days that I spent networking and attending workshops and answering emails from teachers. I arrived late at night and went to school the next morning. I had no idea what to expect after being away for the week. It was crisis after crisis. From major staff crisis, overwhelmed teachers (due to report cards), students who misbehaved, angry parents and the list goes on. It seemed everyone needed me on the spot right as I walked in. I felt I was being stretched out like no other. Trying to support the teachers, helping those students and solving those crisis we went through was NOT easy.

The most difficult part I am finding after being in this position for nearly two months is having that smile on from the minute I walk in until the minute I leave. Putting that mask on mask off depending who is walking right through my door is also exhausting. I try to be there for my staff and help them in any way possible. However, there are times I feel as though “Really? You’re asking that? You’re a teacher. You can make that decision yourself and you don’t need me for that.” Instead I take a deep breath, smile and try to come up with solutions with them and ways to help them.

Are we expected to have all the answers at all times the minute our staff asks us? Are we supposed to be right there the minute they need us? Are we supposed to have all the solutions to every problem that comes our way on the spot? Can we say “Will get back to you asap?” Can we say “I truly don’t know, let’s brainstorm solutions together?” Is that ok? Are we letting our staff down by saying that?

Despite all that, I still love this position and being there for my staff, students and parents.

Your thoughts?

Dlightfully

My First Week

My first official week as an AP with students and parents was wonderful. I loved and enjoyed every minute of it. It was definitely overwhelming, eventful and exciting all at once. Supporting teachers, going into classrooms when I am not in meetings, helping students, being on duty to check on staff and to connect with students were just a few of the things that kept the whirlwind of excitement going for me the first week. For the first few days it all felt surreal; is this really happening? The secretary was calling me for something almost constantly, and there were always parents waiting to talk to me. It seemed never ending, and I reveled in all of it. My dream … I’m living my dream.

Before school started, my principal,KG AP and myself changed the schedule timing. Something I have been wanting to do since the first day of working at this school. We managed to add 20 minutes to advisory/homeroom time. This way students get stability, time to settle in and see their homeroom teacher for a significant amount of time. They can spend the time doing whatever homeroom teacher decides. They can settle them down, tell them what’s happening during the day so they know what to expect, have a read aloud or give students time to read to themselves. In using 20 minutes efficiently, you accomplish many things.

We also added 5 minutes transition time after recess, and decreased recess down to 20 minutes. Since then, we noticed that bullying decreased, and there’s no longer a line of students outside our offices waiting to complain or receive some sort of punishment. Having 30 minutes recess was insane. The last 10 minutes of recess was when students got bored and started picking on other students, causing trouble.

Some feedback we had received was that there wasn’t enough time for students to eat in grades 3 and 4. I personally think that if they are trained properly and reminded, they will eat properly and have time to play. This is all new to them and they need all the training and reminders they can get. That was the first accomplishment we succeed as an admin team, and I was very happy with the changes.

Another change I did was revamping the duty maps for teachers. Each one now knows exactly which zone they belong to and what responsibility they have for that zone. It’s now clearer and straight to the point. I try my best to be outside during recess when I am not in a meeting, and try hard not to have any meetings scheduled during recess time. Between changing timings in schedule and revamping maps, most of my time was completely taken up for my first official week at work. It’s worth it when teachers come up to me and thank me for making it so clear and colorful, and I really appreciate all their positive feedback.

My first week has been absolutely wonderful in every way, and I almost didn’t want it to be over. I am loving my new position and loving being outside the classroom. The challenges that come my way out of nowhere keep me on my toes like never before. Being able to help our newbies and support them in any way possible is a great feeling. Lets see what the rest of the month, and year, have in store.

My First Presentation

I had to give my first presentation ever in front of our new staff. All forty nine of them, along with seven of my own admin team. I had known about this talk I had to give about Kuwait culture since May. I had worked on it during my summer break. But I had no time to review it nor practice as it’s been crazy since we have been back. Night before, I had gotten the flu so I slept by 7pm. I didn’t polish the presentation or give it at least one go. Wednesday morning came and my nose and ears were blocked, and I could barely hear myself. I took some medicine, and off I went to work.

The men who offered us arabic coffee/tea/dates.

I wanted to add personal touches which would both ease the audience, and offer a unique approach to the presentation. So I served arabic coffee, tea and dates to give them a little taste of Kuwaiti flavors. I also played background Kuwaiti music, and hung items of Kuwaiti clothing around the space in which I was presenting.

Lights off, and I began. Standing in front of room full of people, with hopeful eyes watching me to convey to them at least the essence of the place in which they’ll be spending several years of their lives, was exhilarating. A rush of emotions swayed over me and rolled around inside my body, and I flowed with it. I joked around to break the ice for both them and myself, and it definitely helped. Laughter eased us all into and throughout the presentation.

Our newbies so engaged at learning about their new home/culture.

I thought it would take 20 minutes but it took about an hour between my presentation, their questions, and the anecdotal stories I shared. I didn’t want to overwhelm them with too much information, but I didn’t want to leave any of their concerns unattended to either. It was done, I did it – my first presentation as an AP – and I received a lot of positive feedback. I also asked for constructive criticism and what I could do better the next time.

I know there’ll be many more presentations to give as an AP, but for my first time, I feel good. I feel like I did a good job, and that I’m settling into my role. It all feels so great that most times, I’m lost for words.

If any of you have any suggestions on what I can do to get over the anxiety I have to speak in front of my staff, please do let me know. I hope not every time I have to give a presentation entails the same level of insane emotion!

Thanks 🙂

D*lightfully

My new role…

This is it. New year, new chapter in my life, new challenges, new everything … AAAAAAAAHHH! Its all so nerve-wrecking. I arrived to Kuwait on Wednesday night and Thursday was my first day at work, officially as an ES assistant principal. Mind you I was unable to sleep properly. The anxiety I felt were insane and totally new to me. I probably slept for 2 hours.

The next morning, I picked up the KG AP and went grocery shopping for our new staff arriving that night. We made sure we got them things that will get them by for that night. We had planned many shopping trips for them. We bought the things and took them to sort them out and deliver them to each apartment. Later that morning was my first Admin Council meeting. We all greeted each other, spoke about our summers and began the meeting. It felt weird being there with the rest of the team and jumping into conversations when needed. That night all 8 of us went to the airport. We greeted the new teachers as they walked out of the sliding doors and towards the AIS sign. It was a wonderful feeling introducing myself or a principal introducing me. I tried to make them feel comfortable and answered all sorts of questions they had. Most importantly, I was able to get them connected to message their families and to let them know they arrived safely, and that they were in good hands. We were there from 9pm until 2am making sure everyone arrived and got what they needed.

The next morning we took them grocery shopping and the AP’s met to discuss the following days’ activities and schedule. It was all wonderful yet overwhelming. My main goal was to get them settled in and make sure they got everything they needed. We kept telling them not to worry about their class or school, that these two weeks are for them to make their flats feel like home, and to get their lives sorted out before anything else because that will be paramount to making them feel comfortable starting at school.

The next day we took them for breakfast at a very yummy Lebanese restaurant, then to the biggest mall in Kuwait from 10am-5pm. While they were shopping, the Admin team met to go over the next few days. Meeting at Starbucks and working in this new role, with people passing by, looking at us, felt surreal to me. Was I really here? Am I the AP? Is this happening? I felt as though I had grown up so much, so quickly.

We made sure we were visible to our new staff while they shopped and we worked, in case they needed anything. It was an amazing feeling being there, discussing their day plans and what we needed do for them. Being a teacher and then an AP is a plus for me as I know both worlds, and can empathize with what teachers need, and what they would like for us to do to help them integrate and adapt.

Overall the experience has been great. I am loving every minute of it. Yes, there are challenges but so far it’s been easy to iron it out for them. As long as our new staff are all happy and smiling, and their transition has been smooth, then all this exhaustion is worth it. I can’t wait to see what’s planned ahead for me.

Dlightfully D.

Families Support

I wouldn’t have been able to do my PTC without the support of my husband, family and closest friends. Especially my mother, who always took care of my children after my husband had to hand them over to her to go back to his work. I have them to thank for making my dream come true. Had my husband not pushed me like he did, I highly doubt I’d be where I am today.

This is my experience of my last ten years. I will now start a new chapter in my career with many new challenges, where I will fail, learn, succeed and move forward. I cannot wait, and I’m so excited that my level of elation is undoubtedly laced with anxiousness as well. I’m so eager to begin. My dream has come true, and everything I planned for, I actually did. I did it. I made it. I enjoyed every moment, even the struggle. And here I am.

Thank you for taking the time to hear about my journey. I’m looking forward to sharing the rest of it with you as I go along. I would love to hear yours as well. Please do share.

Let’s see what’s in store.

Wish me luck.

Dlightfully,

Dana

PTC Take #2

It was time to fly to Miami. I got there two days before the course started with a plan to get over my jet lag, but this time, it was impossible. This time around was much harder for me. Doing it the year before in the lens of a team leader was so much easier and different than doing it in the lens of an AP this time round. I felt it was so intense and tough. This was the real deal, like everything they were saying in the course was actually to me, as an actual AP. They are talking to me. I have that power. It freaked me out in all the best and worst ways. But I never took my eyes off the ball. Not even for a second.

I learned so much though, and I took thorough notes and did all my homework like a good girl 🙂 I will admit though, I took the two courses this summer so much more seriously than last summer. It was intense and overwhelming, and yet felt so good and different all at once. I saw friends from the summer before, met new ones and made new friends. It’s all about the networking. Meeting so many educators from around the world and being able to share with them my fear, my experience, my excitement was phenomenal. I got lots of tips and pieces of sound advice from those I connected with. I took away so many things to help me transition from one position to another.

One thing I learned from the PTC experience was that I am not alone. So many different people are either fighting hard for what they want, facing the same problem of overcoming such huge emotions to get what they want, or feeling the same feelings in their own way. It was reassuring to know I wasn’t alone at all. Many offered to stay in touch and email whenever I had a question, or to just share whatever is going on with them. It was wonderful to know they cared and that I had a network of people from the PTC that were interested in hearing about my journey. I felt a bit more at ease after completing my last course than when I had first started.

At most of my classes I happened to be the only Arab. It felt strange at first but then I got used to it. Being able to speak about Kuwait and share information about my culture was also a beautiful feeling. I felt proud of where I came from, who I was, and where I was going.

I completed both courses and finally graduated. But I plan on going back for more. After all, you can never be overeducated.

The NEWS and moving forward..

The bell rang and recess was over. I was walking up to my class and settling my students down so I could begin my lesson, when my class phone rang. It was the secretary telling me to go down to my superintendent’s office, and that he needed to see me at that very moment. I waited for the substitute to come to my class and hurriedly left. My legs couldn’t move fast enough! This is it … this is the moment that I’m going to find out whether or not I got the job; the dream. If not, what’s plan B? Do I apply anywhere else or wait? So many scenarios went through my head as I walked into his office. He walked in, sat on the couch in front of me, and was about to tell me the news. As he was saying, “Thank you for applying for the ES position…”, my stomach tumbled into a million knots and I expected him to say, ‘we are sorry but…’ Instead he said, “I am happy to offer you the ES AP position for 2017/2018”. I froze … I wanted to scream… jump… shout. I remember looking at him in a daze, as in, did I hear correctly? I’m sure he read my face, so he repeated it again, and the second time around, I was sure he said what he said.

I asked if I could scream! I couldn’t believe my ears! He showed me my new contract to sign and asked, “Do you still want the position?” Do I want it? Are you serious? Of course I do! I read the contract, asked a question and then signed. He congratulated me, we shook hands, and I literally ran back to my principal to share the news. I then ran to my AP who was leaving the next year, and then ran to my class to continue teaching. How I taught that class, I have no idea. I was on cloud nine.

I quickly called my husband and family, excitedly screaming the amazing news into the phone. I ran to one of team members and just put my thumbs up on her glass door because she was teaching. She ran to the door, hugged me and ran back in. I simply couldn’t believe it! My dream was coming true, and there truly is no better feeling in the world.

When I found out having my PTC on my CV made a huge difference, I was so grateful. I couldn’t wait to enroll for PTC 2017. Slowly news traveled, an email went out and everyone started coming to congratulate me in person, by email or phone. It probably took a few weeks for it to fully sink in that I got the position, and that I wouldn’t be in a classroom anymore. Ten long, beautiful, exasperating, and soul shaking years in a classroom; years spent working myself to the bone, planning my vision, pushing myself forward, and finding ways through one challenge after the next. However, I still had months ahead of me of a workload that would be the heaviest I had handled yet.

Two days after signing my new contract, I received an email from PTC saying the schedule is out for Summer 2017. I had written down which two courses I needed in order for me to graduate. Right then and there I logged on, enrolled, secured my place and paid. I was now all set to go and couldn’t wait to travel.

January hit and everything was becoming so real. I was doing three jobs at once: teaching, team leading, and shadowing my current AP whenever he was free. All my free periods would go to being with him. He showed me the ropes and was so patient with me. I was going to all the ES leadership meetings every Sunday and Wednesday. I would stay after school to catch up with my grading and planning. Time was flying and next thing I know it was June. As I was packing my classroom up for the next teacher to take over, I felt so strange. So many mixed emotions zapped through me while I was packing up. I barely took anything with me, and left and reorganized everything for her. All I took to my office was a box with my personal things.

Time for a change…The Interview

By 2016 I marked ten years of teaching, and felt I needed a new challenge. I started to grow bored of being in the classroom. Having already done two PTC courses and knowing that I had two more to complete the following summer meant to me that I needed to begin applying for assistant principal (AP) positions anywhere in Kuwait.

Luckily there was an opening at the school I was already working in for an AP post in the upper Elementary Grades 1 – 4. I updated my CV and applied for that position. I applied thinking I wouldn’t get it but wanted that interview experience. My interview was during the same day as the 3rd grade assembly, so it was day full of excitement and anxiety.

The time for the interview came once the assembly was done, so I got changed and ready with a tummy full of butterflies, and walked to my superintendent’s office. The walk seemed endless, with my heart beating so fast. I got there 5 minutes early and waited with the secretary. The door opened and my heart froze. I walked into the conference room to see all principals from all divisions, along with the KG AP. Yikes. Be still my thumping heart. I had coffee before my interview as a little pick-me-up. I am not usually a coffee drinker, but when I do have it, I’m wide awake and start bouncing off the walls. I introduced myself and shook hands with everyone there, and somehow managed to sit down without falling over. The entire interview took about 20 minutes. I asked my one question, got my answer, thanked them and left. I felt I did well, and that I gave it my best. I went back to my class to change again and planned for the next day. They told me that I would get an answer back within three weeks, which felt like a lifetime. Meanwhile I continued doing what I had to do as a team leader and teacher.

No concept of time, no technology… Say what?!

My husband and I decided to take the kids to the South of Lebanon to swim and play in the sand. We went to an area called Sour. The further you go out of the city of Beirut, the cleaner the beaches are and the safer the water is for us to swim in. It was about a two hour drive to get there. We reached to my brother in laws house, unpacked our things and headed to the beach. (That’s the view from his balcony.) My kids were so excited and couldn’t wait to jump right in.

I decided to leave my phone at home. I wanted to disconnect from the world, focus on my kids and play with them without being distracted by technology. I only had a week left until my summer vacation would over, and I would be back at school working. I wanted to enjoy those two simple days with them and give them my undivided attention.

We live in a world where technology can easily take up your life without us even feeling it. It seems like we can’t live without our gadgets and connectivity, and yet it distracts us all. We are all addicted to our screens but are barely aware of it. But why?! I truly don’t understand! Whatever it is, it can wait.

We reached and ran to the sea and swam. To be honest it felt weird, as though I was “naked” not checking social media nor chatting with anyone. A part of me was missing!

My husband and kids were with me so I knew the world wouldn’t stop without me checking anything for a few hours. We reached there at 1pm and left at 8pm. It felt absolutely amazing; utter stress free time which seemed to go slower than usual. Neither my husband nor I had a watch on us. When I’d ask what the time was he didn’t know. He left his phone in the bag far away from us. We had no concept of time! Which was simply wonderful. We had lunch, joked, played, sang and went back to build sand castles and swam in the sea. Next thing you know it was 8pm, and the sun was about to set. We packed up and left. It felt so good. Being there with my family and enjoying every minute without technology eating us up alive! My kids had a blast and that’s what was more important, and I was there fully with them, mentally and physically. I actually enjoyed every minute of it with them. I vowed to myself that I should do this for at least an hour each day; put my phone away and enjoy my kids before they grow up and I realize in a blink of an eye that I wasted all that time because of a phone, because of social media. The present moment is all we have, and people say it all the time, but we don’t actually take the time to live it. What are our goals if we lose sight of the reason we have them.

The reason behind everything for me is my family, and I vow to enjoy that beautiful truth to its maximum capacity. Cherish every moment you’ve got.

PTC Take #1

In November 2015, I was so excited to begin, that I enrolled for two courses when the schedule first came out. I had applied for my US visa and got it for 10 years. I booked my seat in the class, got my ticket, and was all set to go six months before the course even began. I could hardly bear the excitement. After six years of putting it on hold, the time had finally come for me to attend PTC!

In the summer of 2016, I started packing my bags for a 21 hour flight journey on my own for the very first time in my life. Miami was a long way away, so far in distance, and so far removed from everything I knew for 34 years of my life. My emotions were all over the place. I felt overwhelmed, anxious, excited, nervous, scared, thrilled … the list goes on. Ambivalence at its best.

After an arduous flight, I made it to my hotel room and couldn’t wait to check in and rest my aching body. But when I finally walked into the room, I was hit by huge waves of emotions which seemed to come out of nowhere, and I just broke down and cried. It was so quiet. No one was calling out “mom” every second, and no one was fighting, crying or laughing. It was just me and the four walls of my strange hotel room in this strange city where my lifelong dreams were hanging right before of me. I switched on the TV and put on my music to feel the comfort of sound around me, and I began to unpack and settle in. This will be my home for 21 days, I thought, so I had better get used to it.

I had 3 days before my first PTC class began, so I decided to use them to my advantage by getting my jet lag adjusted and also walking around the neighborhood to check out where I could get everything I needed. By the third day I was familiar with most things and seemed to be settling in smoothly, but the feeling of missing my family still gnawed at me tremendously.

Thanks to technology I was able to Face Time with my children daily. I would spend my mornings with them on video calls, and when they would go to sleep, my day would begin. The time difference worked to our benefit.

By the fourth day, it was time to register and get ready for classes, and the process went quite well from the get go. Meeting so many different educators from all over the world was an amazing experience.

By the fourth and fifth days, the pace slowed down a little bit, and I was getting into the swing of studying alongside an extremely diverse group of people. I felt slightly bombarded by the amount of information I was taking in, not to mention the amount of networking there was going on. There were so many different activities to complete as part of the program, which entailed partnering up with others taking the class. And although it was all too much too quick, it was still worth every cent spent on the courses.

The new academic school year began and I started implementing at work what I had learned from the Leadership & Team Dynamics module. Getting us all on the same page was a successful process, and I could already see the positive effects the training had on my work performance. It worked so well that it drove my passion further, and I felt fulfilled. Trying out the team building activities with my team at work which I had learnt from the PTC course took things to another level.