Back To Work

Yesterday I went back to work and spent the day in a  training.  I was supposed to learn how to co-teach and collaborate with the teachers at my school.  What I learned (or rather had a revelation about) was how it went so terribly wrong last year with Melissa.  I can truthfully say that Melissa disliked me.  I never really understood it.  How can you dislike someone who you don't know???  Turns out it is very possible.  I stepped on her toes (figuratively).  I was put in her classroom in the middle of the quarter.  We never had a time to say anything to each other and while I knew things about her, she had no idea who I was until I appeared one day at the back of the room.  The students were doing a scrapbook project in connection with the story, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.  Having spent the previous year with her students, I was well aware that most of them were not artistically bent, creative or brimming with art supplies.  I read the story and got the gist of it.  In response to one of the boys, I went out and made up kits for the my students (special ed) that had pieces of the fabric for her dress, the lace mentioned in the story, stickers, paper, etc.  I handed them out and never once spoke to Melissa.  She wanted the students to find the items on their own.  Wasn't going to happen, but I could have done it in a much nicer way, with communicating with Melissa instead of bypassing her and ignoring her.  I wish I knew where she moved to in Virginia so I could send her a note of apology.  I will take this lesson and use it for the next two teachers I am working with this year.  I just an grateful they already know me and won't be so judgemental.