I passed!
Comments: 1 - Date: January 2nd, 2008 - Categories: Personal ramblings
I just saw my results today and I passed my principal certification! Yea! That is such a huge load off my mind.
So it’s been awhile since I posted, and, actually, since I read any blogs. I decided that over Christmas break (like I decide for most breaks) I wasn’t going to do anything work related: no reading blogs, no writing blogs, no checking email, etc. I’m starting my Ed.D today, and I haven’t even read the intro to the first course. I wanted to have a stress and worry free 12 days off. And I did.
Of course, last night, while lying in bed, the wheels started turning again. What do I need to do when I get back? I need to send an email to my coordinators, I need to go over my to-do list, (insert Yul Brenner). Because kids aren’t back today, I’ve had time to catch up on my favorite blogs. My, some people are very prolific during breaks. Thanks to Pete Reilly for a shout out. I’m ready to put the brain in gear and think.
Last night I was watching an Oprah rerun about an experimental day at a high school. Over 60 students from diverse backgrounds were brought together to learn about each other. The end result was amazing: walls broken down, acceptance, forgiveness. It took me back to my lame attempt to do the same thing with my classes at the beginning of each year. I would have the students group themselves according to certain categories (like religion- some interesting conversations out of this one-, number of siblings, having a job…) Then later I instructed them to look around the room and see if they could find one person who wasn’t in a group with them at some time. I tried to get them to see that they had something in common with everyone, even if on the outside they didn’t think they did. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so lame. Anyway, the Oprah show made me have an epiphany. I have a passion for high school kids. I work well with them, and my heart goes out to them for the struggles of a teenager. I want to share my own stories of high school (used to do this with my classes too-including showing the picture of me with 80s bangs) and help them see beyond the present, if possible. So, while I believe I need to gain experience at other levels to be a successful administrator, I also believe high school might be my calling.
For 12 days I did nothing with work, but in the past 24 hours I discovered my calling (probably knew it all along), found out I’m certified to be a principal, and received a shout out on a popular blog. My Wednesday is pretty, pretty good.
