“[In the first two schools I worked in] I had a lot of freedom in how I could develop the curriculum and adapt it, so those first five years in the classroom were me just experimenting. I had some oversight by the administration, but as long as I was keeping structure within the classroom and getting students to focus on building content knowledge or developing academic skills, the administration was content with what I was doing. That freedom and flexibility to try out what could work and what didn't really work was (…) really nice because I didn't have so much pressure, especially as a new teacher in the classroom.”
“But after five years of very little oversight, I was kind of starved for some feedback and so at this new school what really helps me to enjoy it is the built-in teamwork among staff. My first five years being a teacher I was probably observed four or five times. And then, in my first month of working at this new school last year, I was observed more than five times and (…) I had three follow-up feedback sessions. And so it let me know where I was, where they wanted me to be and what I was doing well, and what I should continue doing. Having that kind of immediate feedback and a go-to person at the school to check in with was extremely helpful—especially after not having that for so long.”
“Additionally, my new school (…) is relatively new, so they're still focusing on building a school culture and a big part of that is getting teachers involved in the school community. That was also something I was really looking forward to (….) Immediately, right off the bat, I was made aware that ‘Hey, we want you to participate.’ So by the middle of the school year I was coaching the middle school frisbee team. I was attending student concerts. I was participating in the New Year's concert for the staff. And at the end of the year I managed to get a World Culture Festival together where my grade 10/11 students utilized their knowledge and skills from the school year to put on a festival for the underclassmen. And so it’s really nice having that sense of community, both as a colleague but also as a [part of] a learning community and a recreational community with the students.”