Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

In the Spring of each school year, students begin thinking about the summer and the year ending. Teachers think about that also, but we also start thinking about NEXT year, what we will teach, and things we want to get into place. At least I do. I have some big decisions to make soon.

Some of you might know that I am really an American History teacher that has taken some side journeys into other areas through the years. Recently, I spent a few years in gifted, but that was still teaching social studies. I had to jump ship this year for reasons that belong in another post and I landed in Computer Applications. Don't get me wrong, I love computers and feel like I am attached at the hip to one, but teaching Computer Applications leaves some things to be desired. How exciting can you REALLY make teaching kids to type? That happens to be a large portion of this course curriculum. Furthermore, many of the cool applications available online are blocked by the district filtering program and because I don't have content to tie it to, I am still struggling to come up with meaningful projects that incorporate the programs we do have available. I was master of incorporating technology (when I had access to it!) into my history class, but this year not so much..... even though I have a whole lab of computers. Go figure! Much of the current course curriculum for this class isn't aligned to ultra modern technology either. Sure kids like to use some of the programs we have, but they really want to blog, tweet, make websites, and all the other wonderfully modern activities out there. A lot of days I feel like my hands are tied and am stuck in 1999(!). At least, I did learn to type this year because I didn't want to be a hypocrite! Despite all this, teaching this has freed up a lot of time to pursue a leadership role in Girl Scouts and to take on a virtual teaching job at the local on-line high school.

So I find myself needing to decide if I will stay teaching Computer Applications or do I want to pursue getting back into American History? I pretty much thought I had made up my mind to stay, but then I attend something or do something that reminds me how much I miss talking about American History every day. Tonight it was a meeting of my TAH (Teaching American History) Grant group. Sitting there listening to all the wonderful lessons they have been preparing for our final presentations and seeing what they are doing in the classroom made me miss teaching American History. I feel I don't have much to contribute anymore being out of the "loop" so to speak. At the same time, I haven't forgot how much time I spend prepping for my classes when I am teaching history. In the past, that has left little time for much else from August to June! Plus, if I DID get an American History position, it would most likely be the lowest level of kids. You might as well quadruple the apathy level now!

So the question seems to be 'Do I stay or do I go?' Of course, there are other factors in this decision beyond my control. Perhaps I will just wing it and see what happens.