Interventionist – Year #2…NOT!

Image Source: AI Generated

Note: Yesterday I found out I needed to return to the classroom! We go back to work tomorrow! Yikes! I had originally drafted this post before I knew about this change. So, instead of writing a whole new one, I decided to leave it as is and update what I’d written in italics.

Two years ago was my last year writing report cards or so I thought. I usually spend three weeks, or more, prepping, drafting, correcting, and publishing report cards. This process messes with my well-crafted, albeit (sometimes) aspirational, schedule.

Reading.

Writing.

Exercising.

Resting.

It all stops abruptly and is put on hold.

That’s because I thrive on structure, routines, schedules, and a to-do list. Doesn’t everybody?

Therefore, last fall, when I moved to a part-time position out of the classroom I was more a than a little anxious. Given recent changes – as recent as yesterday – I am going back to the classroom into a job share role. So, I shouldn’t have wasted my time feeling anxious. But who knew?

Would I miss the classroom and regret my decision? The truth is: I did and I didn’t.

Would I know what to do with my time when it wasn’t regimented by bells and someone else’s specials schedule? Even though I’m only teaching in the mornings, this is something I still need to consider.

Would I still feel like I belonged and could exercise agency even though I was no longer a classroom teacher? Although this question is no longer relevant, I definitely perseverated on this last year.

What would my days look like if I was only working 2 1/2 days (five mornings) every week?

A year later I can say that I love my schedule – I get to make it myself and, even after a dozen iterations, it works for me and the teachers. Plus, I have time to do other things for myself and my family. We’ll see if I like my new schedule. I will have less flexibility now than I did last year, so there’s that.

The best part is that I get to focus on teaching! I don’t have to do all of the administrative fluff that teachers are required to do and that takes up a big chunk of their planning time. Well that’s not true anymore.

I don’t have to do report cards or IPP’s (IEP’s). Also not true.

I just teach and try to model effective teaching practices. Of course, this won’t change.

Last year, I had a room where I taught students in small groups and whole classes for math instruction. But, our school is adding another grade and that room was needed for a classroom. So, going into my second year, I am in a new, much smaller space, that I love! And, when I think about moving my stuff out of there, I get nervous because who has the time? I will be seeing small groups there for literacy and numeracy support and go into classrooms to work with larger groups. I will be doing this, but in a classroom and in Spanish only.

This year, the school board is making changes to the intervention work at schools, and I’m on pins and needles wondering what this could possibly mean. But, whatever the changes, I plan to adapt and adjust in order to maintain my professional responsibility to my students. We’ll see what kind of impact this has on classroom teachers, if any.

I go back to work tomorrow. It’s a different feeling now than when I was in the classroom. I don’t know what to say about that! LOL! Nevertheless, I am just as anxious as ever about what this year will bring. What I do know is that every new year brings bouts of anxiety, as well as tremendous excitement. Still true!

If you are poised to start a new year with kids, I hope you have a wonderful first day. If you have started, I hope you are already excited and energized.

We got this!

Cross posted to the Two Writing Teachers Tuesday Slice of Life Challenge – https://twowritingteachers.org/2025/08/26/its-tuesday-join-us-for-a-slice-of-life-13/