I made it to the end of a really rough year. Too many students, not enough time, eating lunch during therapy, along with some tough meetings made this year the roughest in a long time. I tried to remember these things to make it to the finish line:
1) Keep to myself. It's the end of the year, everybody's tired, and I let my guard down. There have been years when my mouth has gotten me in trouble. The best thing I can do is keep my head down, and hole myself in my room.
2) Lists, lists, lists. I have to-do lists for my to-do lists! Especially when I'm changing schools, which I'm doing for next year.
3) If you're changing schools, have things ready for the next person. I make sure I have Screening Re-check Lists, lists of IEPs that will be due when school starts back up, notes on the students, and any other notes that I wish I had known for the next person. I always try to leave the Speech Program better than when I found it.
4) Just to reiterate #1, remember that everybody is tired and stressed. If someone says something to you that isn't positive, don't take it personal. It never fails: I always forget how stressed everyone is, and inevitably I come across some tears. (Not from something that I've said, but that someone else said.)
Monday, I said goodbye to a fantastic principal and a wonderful staff. I get to keep my "mountain school", and will go back to where I was 2 years ago. I am extremely excited to get to work with that staff again; that was the only school where I cried when I left. I've been in a lot of schools over the past 29 years.
What are your tips for the end of the school year?
Great advice Mary!
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