It's Not Friday Yet??

Here it is 6:55 a.m. and I SHOULD be in the shower. Instead I have just finished breakfast and I'm obviously sitting here at my computer. I don't want to move this morning. I'm tired and placing myself in a room full of noisy, complaining 9 and 10 year olds is not on the top of my list of "things I want to do" today.

I recently found out that my job description will change for next school year. Its a good thing...for me anyway. My present job is teaching 3rd grade reading. This is the first of many more TAKS test years for our 9 and 10 year olds in Texas. In the past I have avoided having to teach a "state testing" year. So two years ago when my present school asked me to teach third grade on their campus I was not ready to jump at the opportunity even though the school is only 3 blocks away from my house. Then I was informed that at this school the Language and writing composition is separate from reading and that the children do not take the TAKS for Language and writing composition until fourth grade. "Interesting!" I said. I interviewed with the principal who asked me more than once if I wanted to teach 3rd grade reading instead of writing, to which I replied each time, "No, thank you."

So the big move from my former school to my present school was made two years ago and I thought I was making my last move until I retired. I anticipated my new position all summer long. I went to my new building when summer school had ended and began to unpack boxes and put my things in the cabinets. I attended a writing workshop with other district teachers and I was feeling pretty pumped about the start of a new school year in this new position.

Then, as the introduction week of inservice meetings progressed, I learned that the new 3rd grade reading teacher hired to be one of my two partners, was moving to another school. Now a new reading teacher would have to be hired in just a few days to start off the year. I wasn't worried until the principals came to me and asked me teach Reading. READING?! A TAKS SUBJECT?! They couldn't possibly be doing this to me. I have managed to avoid this all my days of teaching at my former school, when one of my principals asked me yearly to move to 3rd grade reading. Oh, no, I DON'T want to teach 3rd grade reading and be responsible for the passing of all of those kids on the TAKS tests. If they fail the TAKS, they can fail 3rd grade. What pressure! No, I don't want to do that. I came to this school to teach writing, a fun course, that I know how to teach and I believe I do it pretty well....no, I do not want to teach reading!

The school year started with me teaching 3rd grade reading. I didn't win that battle but, I was assured that it would only be for this first year and then I could have the writing back. So, I reluctantly and tearfully taught 3rd grade Reading TAKS. In the meantime, a permanent substitute teacher was hired to begin the year in my coveted Language Arts position until a certified teacher could be hired. The substitute was a nice woman and would go on to do a fair job of teaching the course. So the year began and we all became comfortable in our positions. But I noticed that no one was interviewing for the reading teacher job and I was being tutored on reading techniques for 3rd grade reading TAKS. By mid-term, the substitute teacher in language had decided to finish her teaching certification and become a permanent teacher. She was hired permanently and my chances of getting my language arts job back were looking slim. However, my principal had told me that teaching reading would only have to be for one year and then I could have the language arts class back for the following year.

So the end of that first hard year ended and I had my summative conference with my principal. She asked if I wanted to move back to Lanugage for the next year. Well, by now the hired teacher was working on her certification and besides, we had become friends. I told my principal that I'd teach reading another year so the other teacher could continue in her present position while working to be certified.

That brings us up to now. Two year later, I've taught the reading, my students have done pretty decently on the TAKS, but I still want to teach language and writing before my career ends. After hearing my partner on many days exclaim how she might like to move down to primary grades, I decided to approach my principal and remind her that I still wanted to teach language and writing. However, I made it clear that I didn't want the position at the risk of harming my new friendship with my partner. If a position didn't open up for her, I'd stay where I was. I even told her that I'd be willing to teach 2nd or 1st grade for which I'm highly qualified.

So last Monday our principal called several of us into the conference room. I couldn't imagine what this was all about. Next, she began to read a letter she was mailing that very day to administration. I was to be assigned to teach language and writing to 3rd grade. Yea! I was so happy, but wait there is more. My partner, who had been teaching language, was being moved to teach kindergarten. Apparently, a job opened up in kindergarten and this started the domino effect of the moving teachers. This was her second year to teach. Next year will be year with her new certification. She was obviously surprised. Then the principal announced to our little gathering that the second grade teacher present was to be moved to my old position, 3rd grade reading. She was most surprised and upset.

The other two teachers are not happy with their move. However, to say that I'm happy comes with a "but". But...I'm sorry that they are not happy with their move, I am the only one that is happy and I am feeling very, very guilty.

Was I wrong to want that position? I didn't tell my principal to move my partner out of that job. In fact I told her not to move her just so I could fill the position. So I don't know why she made that move. Have I been selfish to want my original promised job position back? After all, if I had known that I was going to teach 3rd grade reading and give the TAKS test to my students, I would have turned the job down. I would have stayed teaching second grade at my former school. Should I be feeling guilty? I don't know.