The Year of the Jaedens (Jaeden, Jayden and Jaiden)

The Year of the Jaedens (Jaeden, Jayden and Jaiden)

Welcome to first-grade boys and girls. We are going to have a great school year. I am Ms. Blocker, and I’ll be one of your teachers this school year. What is your name? Oh, you are Jayden too! Nice to meet you, Jayden, with a “y.” Tell me a little about yourself. 

On September 5, 2022, based on the shortage of 900d classroom teachers in my school district, a group of almost 150 central office support staff consisting of mentors, coaches, and program leaders was called back to the classroom. As a Mentor Teacher, I was a part of this group. The announcement that we would be returned to classrooms came two days before the first day of school for students and an entire month after central office staff returned from summer break. While the call was unexpected, the need for teachers was undeniable. 

I work for a large school system with 136,500 students and nearly 10,000 teachers. Attracting and keeping educators in such an extensive school system can be challenging. During the 2022-20223 school year, there was a gap between the number of new teachers applying for positions and the number of teachers needed to cover the school’s 1000+ vacancies, which left the school system in need of educators.

The immediate change from being a district-wide mentor to a classroom teacher was unexpected and challenging for various reasons but not having classroom supplies was at the top of the list. Having worked in the central office for multiple years, we were the educators who supported new teachers. Many of us gave away our classroom materials to new teachers years ago. Just a week before the reassignment, my office had an Educator School Supply Give Away event where we set up a “store” with school and life supplies for new teachers. All the school materials were donated and geared toward helping teachers start the school year. We saved nothing for ourselves since we had no specific classrooms.

Having spent the last eight years helping new teachers set up their classrooms for success, covering classroom management, logistics, and curricula I know what’s needed in a classroom, but I also know what I want in MY classroom, and I had none of those things. After being directed back into teaching with no notice, I felt overwhelmed and unprepared without an opportunity to prepare for my students. For the 14 years I was a classroom teacher, I spent a few days setting up my classroom before teacher preparation days. That was my time to plan and set up my room. Without those days to prepare, my stress level was high. 

I was placed in a first-grade class in a school not too far from my house. Before my arrival, the classroom I would call home for the 2022 - 2023 school year was a storage room filled with school supplies. My new colleagues were very supportive, helping to set up my room. I also received a lot of help from friends and family with purchasing supplies.

How it Started (September 2022)

How It's Going (October 2022)

The last time I was a teacher of record was 17 years before this deployment. Back then, I had multiple students in my class named Ashley. This year I will work with 54 first-grade students, six named Jaeden. I teach social studies, science, and health, and I am one-third of the first-grade team. I can’t say I had a classroom teacher of record on my Bingo card for 2022 -2023; however, I am flexible and responsive, and ready to jump in where needed.