TL;DR:
- There is no instruction manual for handling situations as they arise in the teaching world.
- Know that everything you encounter, whether negative or positive, becomes a part of your resume.
Maria Montroni-Currais joined Rae on the Daily Drop In to talk about refreshing routines.
Recently, I participated in an arbitration hearing between the board of education and the teachers’ union. The next day, I sat in on interviews for a district technology director. Listening closely, I learned that the tech department has more acronyms than the ESL and Special Education departments put together! Following that, I testified in front of the board of education during an executive session regarding a sensitive personnel matter. Later that week, I reviewed a potential board policy, internalized more incoming state mandates, re-designed the master schedule for standardized testing, and held a teacher’s hand during a call to the Division of Child Protection.
In overcoming these obstacles, I realized I could look back with pride and thoughtfulness. Each time I crossed one off my list, I sat up a little straighter, a little taller. Click To TweetResume Builders
Some of you veterans may be nodding your heads…just another week in district administration. But for me, early in my career in administration, all of these experiences were firsts. While some of them were easy, others were difficult or uncomfortable. None of them came with a manual or instruction book. In some instances, I thought I couldn’t do it. I felt too afraid, too young, too new. But after each one, I was still standing. (Cue Elton John!) Not only was I still standing, but I was also stronger, smarter, and more prepared for the next.
In overcoming these obstacles, I realized I could look back with pride and thoughtfulness. Each time I crossed one off my list, I sat up a little straighter, a little taller. When someone asks me what I’ve accomplished in my first two years of administration, I can pull out any one of these and share the challenge, but most importantly, share what I learned from it. I call them resume builders.
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Keep a Running List
When I taught English Language Learners, I used to prep myself before each lesson by asking, “What words am I going to use today?” Now, when I review my calendar for the day, I think about what resume builder I might acquire. After an event or a task, I run an internal post-mortem: what worked, what didn’t work, and what could happen next time? Both of these routines allow me to create a running list of “builders” to draw from, whenever I need them. It might be for a resume, for a speaking engagement, or even for a little mental pick-me-up! Keeping problem-solving as the goal allows me to frame each new experience as a potential bullet on a resume.
I’m not going to lie to you—it’s not easy to frame some of these experiences in a positive light. There are certainly some I’d rather forget! Whether negative or positive, each experience has added to the person and leader I am today. They might not make it onto the document I submit for a job, but they’re all a part of me.
About Maria Montroni-Currais
Maria began her career in NJ public schools in 2009 and started writing for Everyone Deserves to Learn in 2013. She received an M.Ed in Teaching ESL from The College of New Jersey, and obtained her Supervisor and Principal certifications through NJExcel. She currently serves as the Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for a PreK-8 school district in Camden County, NJ.
