Back home

I'm home, unpacked and chillaxin' after a short yet very busy and eventful trip. Here's the quick version:

1) It was a very successful trip in terms of my job/career. I was able to get onto the radar of the director of the education team (for the whole company--she's WAAAYYYY up there). I was totally prepared to bluff my way through the observations--but I was a bit surprised to realize that I DIDN'T NEED TO. I got into that first classroom (I walked in with a stone-serious face to intimidate the teacher AND to draw attention away from the fact that on the inside I was shaking like a leaf), sat down with the forms we had to complete--and just like that, it hit me that I COULD do this. I actually DID know what I as doing. It was a pretty cool moment for me, actually. And the rest of the day was a piece of cake. I was hit with another round of nerves right before I had to sit down for first "evaluation" (going over the form with each teacher and giving them the results of your report/observation); these can be especially tough when it's a teacher who didn't perform very well. Luckily, I mostly had pretty good teachers and only had to make small suggestions and deduct points for some of the more minor "offenses". My last teacher today actually performed pretty badly (5 year olds + musical instruments + NO classroom management = trainwreck), but I feel like I provided CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and was able to boost her up rather than knock her down. It was really a pretty positive meeting.

At the end of each day, we compile all of our data, create some final reports and give a closing presentation to the entire staff with our overall observations and how they seem to be performing as a school. Today, the education director asked ME to present a section--it was a smaller one, but she seemed to be kind of feeling me out. Aterwards (while I was doing some sesrious corporate brown nosing--hell, I ain't dumb--I NEVER get face time with someone as high up as she is), she said that I had done very well and that I'd made a great addition to the team. She also said that I was "just the kind of person they need" to go into the schools like this. Holla!

Has anyone else noticed that this was all under point #1? LOL. Clearly, point #2 (namely, all the hell we raised last night) will have to wait for another post. I need to take a shower and get to bed. I'm running on about 2 hours of sleep (we ALL are--and we STILL kicked some evaluating ass today...but that's for another time, another place and another post...).