The other MTC teachers at Byers--Brennan, Walsh, Frenzel, White, and Megan Lindsay--all help me an incredible amount. The MTC folks provide a place to vent about situations and give legitimate feedback and support that helps. I have been more and more frustrated about how the school runs.
Tiffany Smith, MTC alumni who I replaced, provided encouragement, advice, supplies and resources when I needed them. She was a great help. I hope to provide similar support to the person from MTC that replaces me. The principal at HW Byers has been an important resource in class management and providing some guidance in instruction. He has supported me in any/all issues I have had with student discipline/performance. He stepped up after the CASE21 test results came out. Kids struggled with the test and didn't post passing results. The principal spent a few days in the classroom helping me out with instruction. He exerted his influence on students by placing importance on passing unit tests and turning in homework. He pushed me to give homework twice a week which has been a part of classroom culture for most of my two years at HW Byers. Building relationships with parents through face to face meetings, texting, and phone calls has led students to after school tutoring and better performance. Students who are my biggest management concerns have come to tutoring. Seeing them in a different, more relaxed atmosphere we are building trust. Small tutoring groups provide opportunity to try different strategies of differentiation. |