This year I followed through with a decision I had in mind last year. Admin decided, that we would take soccer away as a consequence since it was causing so many problems. Once I got the green light, I went ahead and sent out the email to all the duty teachers letting them know that there will be NO soccer for 1 week for grades 3 and 4.
Tag: dlightfully
Teacher Life vs. Admin Life
Being a classroom teacher for 10 years gave me the control of my own class. Each year I cared and loved for 23 students and their parents. I worried whether all of my students were learning and aimed to give my undivided attention to those who were struggling. I planned for 23 students keeping in mind those who needed the extra help. I worried each time I would give a summative, for those who would not do well and worried about their parents reaction.
Reflecting on my first year as an AP
For the last twelve days I have been reflecting over the past school year. I have completed my first year as an AP and I felt as if I was on a roller coaster. There were many ups and downs and I found myself going round and round.
Thinking back on the year there are some things that I would do differently. In the moment, it’s difficult to analyze all situations. I don’t think anyone even with years of experience would have an answer for everything. Being in education there isn’t a day that repeats itself. There is never a dull moment because you are always on your toes.
AP Job Description in 10 minutes
We had 10 minutes to eat and decompress and instead the KG AP and I sat down and wrote our very own AP job description. We listed what we do minute by minute from the moment we enter the school till the time we leave. Yes our official working hours is from 7:15 till 3. But we are always here by 6:30 am and we leave by 4pm at the earliest. There are days that that we leave at 5pm depending on what we have to do since there is never any time during the day.
My Recruiting Experience!
Over the weekend my superintendent, owner of the school and I flew to Dubai for the GRC recruiting fair. It’s a one day fair and I must say that I was nervous about this trip. Those two nights I barely slept. Especially the night before for the fair. I was told I was going since September. And since then I always wondered what it would be like. We got in on Friday. Friday night my superintendent and I met and we reached out to our candidates by email. We set up interviews timings to those that sent us their CV’s through the GRC website and went through our interview questions.
Saturday came and we sat up our table, had breakfast and was ready for the candidates. The doors opened at 8am. From 8 am till 10am the candidates came and confirmed their interview timings. Some people checked out our openings and dropped off their CV. Working 14 hours straight with 1 hour break was exhausting. Smiling, talking, interviewing, answering their questions and making small talk was insane but loved it. I did my first interview with my superintendent and then went solo with the owner by my side giving me tips and answering their questions. The whole experience was surreal. Between interviews we would get other directors/principals asking us for reference checks for our current staff that were there attending the fair as well. When we were done interviewing, it was our turn to email and ask for reference checks for those we interviewed and were interested in offering a contract. The minute we were finished interviewing, we debriefed over dinner, got their referenced checked, then sent emails offering some candidates a contract. It went by so quickly yet so slowly and I learned a lot from both my superintendent and the owner. So many countries and schools attended this fair. It was interesting to see lines were queues for China, Vietnam and South Korea. I went around to see which schools were there. The ballroom was filled with tables and schools from around the world. It was fun, tiring, exhausting and overwhelming all at once. Can’t wait till next year’s fair! 🙂
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.
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.
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.
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.