2016 Year in Review

Happy New Year! As I begin 2017, I am still reflecting on all that happened in 2016. I began the year by making space in my life. I made some physical space by donating items that we were no longer using. I made time in my schedule by ending my commitments as a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. I was not sure that what I was going to do with my new space, but I was exploring some full-time job opportunities in academic advising. After working 10 years full-time in higher education, I was not sure if I wanted to close that chapter.

I made it to the final interview for a job that interested me due to the opportunities for growth. There was also the draw of working at a prestigious university, but I was not offered the position. My resume, references, and cover letter were ready, so I then applied to academic advising position at the local community college. I was surprised when I received a job offer, but I turned it down. I had also been looking at my options to start my teaching credential and continue as a substitute teacher. The draw to teaching and learning new things was stronger for me than staying in a familiar field. In May, I became a student again and finished the school year as a long-term substitute for a second-grade class.

I wrote a couple of posts about my early experiences on this path (names and summer school). I passed a required exam (the CSET) for my K-8 Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and thought that I would have a quieter fall semester taking 9 credit hours. At the end of the summer, I was contacted to begin the school year as a substitute for a first-grade teacher out on medical leave. I was familiar with the school and classroom, but I was not sure about working with first graders. I thought that I might prefer to teach older students, but the younger students quickly won me over. The job was extended to 15 weeks, and I had 24 six and seven-year-olds in the class. I learned so much and hope to teach first grade again in the future.

I am wrapping up a relaxing winter break after a busy fall semester. My classes begin again on January 9th, and I will focus on being a full-time student. I will be able to knock out 15 credit hours, but I will be working less. I am finding value in taking breaks and going with the flow. I am not sure what 2017 will bring, but 2016 was quite a year for me.

Summer School

After spending nine summers advising at orientations in Texas and California, I enjoyed my summer off last year. I was starting to plan our summer of swimming, library trips, and travel when a fork in the road appeared. I took that fork in the road and found myself back in school for a teaching credential. This means student teaching for summer school. I am out of my comfort zone, but I am learning so much. I am team teaching a 5th/6th grade combination class with a STEM theme. We are covering computer science/coding, hands-on math, animation, and engineering. So far, my highlight has been learning about binary and then turning around and trying to teach it. It was neat to see the kids get it and build on their learning. My coursework is online, so I have to keep up with readings and assignments. I just have one more paper to finish this weekend for my third module.

A 4th grader programmed this robot disco.

The beebots are really neat because they can work with a range of ages. The older students programmed and raced them through more challenging courses.

A colleague taught about patterns earlier in the program, which helped the students see the patterns in binary code.

Names and Jobs

As I walk across the blacktop at my son's school, I am not sure which name I will be called. I hear, "Hi Miss Sara," "Hello Mrs. Grafton," and "Mom" all in the course of one day. My roles at the elementary school have evolved over the last two school years.

When Alex began kindergarten, I left my full-time job at a university. My original intention was to go back to college/university work part-time. During Alex's kindergarten year, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the school and work as a noon aide to oversee the kindergarteners during lunch. When I asked Alex's kindergarten teacher what to have the kids call me, we settled on "Miss Sara". One of my grandmothers called me Miss Sara, so it is a familiar name. I enjoyed the opportunity for the kids to be less formal with me as a volunteer and noon aide.

Also during Alex's kindergarten year, the principal wrote in the school newsletter about the shortage of substitute teachers in our district. The teachers are pulled out of the classroom for meetings and trainings, which has caused an increased need for substitutes on specific days. To substitute in California, you need to have a bachelor's degree in any field, pass a test (the CBEST), and pass a background check. I went through those steps last August to obtain my 30 Day Substitute Credential. By September I was employed as a substitute teacher. I walked into new classrooms as "Mrs. Grafton" or "Mrs. G" for the younger grades (kindergarten and transitional kindergarten).

Based on need, I also signed up to work as a substitute instructional assistant. This position allowed me to help kids in our special days classes and students who are mainstreamed into the general classrooms. Some of these students already knew me as Miss Sara, so I wasn't going to have them call me a different name.

Substitute teaching is not an easy job, and it has helped me think on my feet. I have worked in classrooms from transitional kindergarten (when most of the kids were still four years old) to fifth grade at 5 different schools in our district. It is a flexible job that still allowed me to volunteer in my son's first grade class as "Miss Sara." I have met so many friendly teachers and staff members who have helped me out in new environments and in new situations. I've has some rough days, some smooth days, and everything in between. As a substitute in my own district, kids may recognize me outside of school at the grocery store, restaurants, and the library. It is always nice to hear a "hi" from them.

I worked full-time at universities for ten years, so the draw to work there again continued. I know that I want to work in education, and I spent this school year exploring various options. I applied to a couple of academic advising jobs in my area. I found a position that I was interested in after an in-depth interview process, but I was not offered the job. I interviewed for another position, but I turned down the offer. It was a good job, but it was not the right fit for me anymore. During March and April of this year, the ball had started rolling in another career direction for me.

As I was exploring options for future full-time employment, I considered pursing a California Teaching Credential. I found an online program and attended an information session in early March. My original intention was to apply for Fall 2016 if it seemed to be a good fit. It turned out that I still has time to apply for Summer 2016 and begin the program sooner. Around the same time, I was approached about the need for a long-term substitute in second grade at my son't school. The job was for 27 days and my credential allows me to work for up to 30 days in one classroom. Over the course of the school year, I had spent time in a variety of second grades classes and was enjoying this grade level.

There were some restless nights, tears, and uncertainty, but the puzzle pieces fit together by May. On May 2, I took over a second grade class for the remainder of the school. I have the opportunity to teach 22 bright and inquisitive students. I explained to them that I've had multiple roles at the school, so that's why they call me "Mrs. Grafton" while some of the first graders call me "Miss Sara." On May 4, I started the CalStateTEACH program to earn a K-8 Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. I had not been a student for 12 years, and the last time I was in school was before marriage and having my own child.

I am taking a few minutes to write out this journey before I get back to studying, lesson planning, grocery shopping, and laundry - my new normal for a Sunday.

Occupation: Mom

Alex starts kindergarten tomorrow. We met his teacher on Friday, and then I started to fill out some forms. Normally this would have been a mundane task, but there has been a big change around here. A simple line on a form got me thinking.

Occupation___________

I was easy to fill in my husband's occupation on the form for Alex's teacher, but I left mine blank. My last day at work was July 31. I quit my job.

It was a decision that was brewing over the summer. I was dragging my feet to sign up Alex for the before and after school program even though we had a good visit. I wanted to pick him up from school. Not at 5:00 PM or later but when the school bell rang. I wanted to walk him to and from school. I wanted to pack his lunches instead of automatically signing up for the easier option to buy them. I wanted to be able to volunteer at school or go on a class field trip. I wanted him to do after school activities. I wanted us all to be less hurried and less stressed.

Our kindergarten is only a half day, but Alex has been putting in full days since he was 3 months old. My work schedule did not mesh easily with the school schedule. My husband's spread sheets gave us an accurate view of our finances, and our interests in minimalism and mustachianism certainly have helped. The door seemed to be opening, and I just needed the courage to walk through it.

The events unfolded in a surreal manner. I needed to meet with my boss for my annual review, so I went in with a letter of resignation. I gave three weeks notice and finished up my ninth summer of freshman orientation as an academic advisor. I wrapped up my last day, and then we got on a plane the next morning to visit family in Indiana and Ohio.

We returned a week before Alex's first day of kindergarten, and I savored this little bit of summer.

We spent a lot of time at parks: playing in the water, running around, Alex climbing, and even grilling out for dinner.

Now the blank of that form seems less intimidating after some thought. I will fill in my occupation as "Mom" and see what else comes along in the future. I've been a mom for the past five years, so I think that I can handle the job.

Managing Assumptions

Last week, I gave the general education presentation to some transfer students at orientation. My director put together the presentation, and I had given it once before at the beginning of June. After eight weeks of "frosh" (freshmen) orientation, this presentation seemed easier. The policies and procedures covered in the presentation are becoming more familiar to me as I settle into my new job.

One thing jumped out at me as I gave the presentation. We tell the transfer students to "manage their assumptions" since they are coming from another college or university. Things will be different at this university. I finally realized that I need to manage my assumptions after advising at another university for over five years. I incorrectly assumed that frosh orientation would be similar to my last job. As we go into the fall semester, this was a good thing for me to hear (again).

I did not realize that my presentation was being observed by some of my colleagues for a specific reason. At the end of last week, I was asked to teach an activity section for our freshmen seminar. I am a little overwhelmed but excited. I am preparing to teach my first class on August 31. I co-taught a freshmen seminar in fall 2010, but I now know to expect this to be a different experience. I am looking forward to working with the other instructors, a peer advisor, and twenty-five new students. Between working my full-time job, teaching a class, and having an active three year old, it will be a busy fall!

On another note, my craft supplies made a "guest appearance" on Scrapworthy Lives today.

6 Months in CA

Six months ago, also on a Saturday, Alex and I had one way tickets from San Antonio, Texas, to San Jose, California. Our possessions (narrowed down over a couple of months time) were already on the moving truck. I stuffed as much as I could into our suitcases and carry on luggage. My parents took us to the airport, and I know that there were tears. Alex and I grabbed lunch at McDonalds in the San Antonio airport, and we had to quickly change planes in Phoenix. By the time we arrived in San Jose, I was tired and relieved to see John. Some details stick in my mind, but other parts of our move are a blur. It was the first time that I moved by boarding an airplane in one place and then a few hours later landing in our new home.

As I think back over the last six months, I do feel that we are settling in here. Overall, I really enjoy living in California, especially the Bay Area. There is so much to see and do here. I enjoy the pace of life and the weather in the South Bay. I enjoyed being able to drive to Disneyland in less than a day and foresee more California road trips in our future.

After living in San Antonio for seven and a half years, there are things that I miss. I miss living near my parents. I had moved away twice before, but it is different when you have child and the family has grown. I miss our friends. We built a wonderful group of friends over the years. Building new friendships takes time.

I am surprised by how much I miss my job. I expected to miss my family and friends, but I was open to starting a new job as part of our move. After five and a half years with the same office and seven and a half years with the same university, I thought that I needed a change professionally. Obviously, I cannot turn back now, but I did not expect to miss my job so much. I had found a great fit professionally. I enjoyed my work and my colleagues and had lots of opportunities for growth. Now the bar is set high for all of my future jobs.

Then there are the little things. We have adjusted to living in an apartment better than I expected. Some days I miss just letting the dogs out in the backyard, but overall I do not mind walking our dogs. We are doing fine with less space, but I do miss having a dedicated craft desk. I do not miss having a TV since we can watch shows though Netflix, Hulu, and iTunes.

In six months, I will be reflecting back on my first year in California. I did not plan to live here, but some of the best things in my life are the things that I did not plan.

John and I are pictured near the Golden Gate Bridge on January 8, 2012, shortly before I moved to California. Alex and John are pictured near the Golden Gate Bridge on May 19, 2012.

Today's Mantra

I am a week and a half into my new job and am slowly adjusting. I spent seven and a half years working at one university, five and a half years in the same office at the university, and then four months off of work. This is a big change! My new office is welcoming and the position has a lot of potential.

Today, my mantra has been "You are right where you should be." I read this on Donna Downey's blog a while ago and she even designed a stamp with this sentiment. The sentiment is a combination of accepting your current situation and acknowledging that it could change in the future.

I was so happy to wrap up my job search, but I had applied to other positions before receiving the offer for my current position. I was contacted for phone interviews for two of those positions and politely declined. The best compliment was having a staff member give her colleague my resume for an open position at a certain prestigious university. This week I was emailed with an invitation to apply and have a phone interview for the opening. It was hard to turn it down, but "I am right where I should be."

Photo taken 1/9/12 of Tower Hall at San Jose State University

Quite a Week

Last week was quite a week! One Monday, we signed the papers to close the sale of our house in Texas. (Our first house) Overall, the process went smoothly, especially considering the housing market and economy. We have met people out here who are renting out properties from their past locations. We are happy that the San Antonio market was favorable enough to sell. We are also happy to be renters again. We appreciate the flexibility and time to learn the area. (And John does not miss the yard work!)

The week continued with more good stuff. On Wednesday I was offered an Academic Advising position with San Jose State University. It took me about a day to get excited, and I was not sure why at first. Then I realized that I had just settled in to staying home with Alex. After the big move, it took me a little while to get excited about another change. I happily accepted the position on Thursday and will start later this month.

Lollipop Moment

On Friday, I had my most promising job interview of my "Job Search 2012." Now I wait... Universities tend to move slowly through the hiring processes.

I had some mixed emotions the evening before my interview. I miss working, but I also love spending my days with Alex. The evening before my interview I was reading Chookooloonks and found a great video on leadership.

Here is a video that I loved:


Working with college students gives me a chance to have lollipop moments. I have the opportunity to help students in subtle ways. In my last position, I advised freshmen. I should only be advising them for a couple of semesters, and I was happy to see students move on to become sophomores. One student I knew over a four year span. I first saw her at orientation and did not remember our interaction. I saw hundreds of students each summer and could not remember all of them.

Almost four years later, I received a phone call from this student. She remembered me and specifically asked to speak to me. I advised her by phone and then in person when she returned to San Antonio. Once I saw her in person I started to remember her. As some of her friends were graduating college, she was hoping for a new start. In my everyday work, I gave her a "lollipop" and the encouragement to be comfortable to contact me years later. It was good to think about this the night before my job interview.

Have you had any lollipop moments?

Grateful

After seven and a half years, today was my last day as a staff member at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I do not think that this has totally sunk in yet, but I did have a good day today.

Last night I started thinking about my last day at work. I am sad to be leaving, but I am mostly grateful. I am grateful for all of the opportunities that I've had at the university. This is the foundation of my professional career in higher education. I am grateful for the wonderful colleagues and supervisors that I've had in two offices at the university.

I had to go to Human Resources today for an exit interview this morning. Then I had some time to chat with a former student leader who is now a staff member in HR. He was one of the first people that I met at the university. It was good to see him on my last day.

I enjoyed lunch today with my office. It was emotional saying good-bye at 5:00 P.M. It really hit me when I was saying good-bye to four staff members who were all with the office when I started in 2006.

It is weird to know that I am not going to work tomorrow, but now I need to prepare for an upcoming job interview in California.

"Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened." -Dr. Seuss

Ten Conference Highlights

For my October Ten Things on the Tenth of the Month post, I want to share highlights from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Conference that I attended in Denver, Colorado from October 1-5, 2011. This was a wonderful conference!

1. One of my favorite sessions from the conference was on "Women Thriving in Higher Education." An extraordinary panel of women honestly shared their career experiences and advice. One woman pointed out that in your career sometimes you do things out of desire and sometimes you have to do it out of need. They discussed changing positions to stay in line with your core values and the topics of taking a pay cut or a part-time position. They shared their various experiences with completing a doctorate degree. Their willingness to honestly share their experiences made this session so valuable.

2. I was happily surprised to see my graduate school advisor at the conference. I did not pre-select my conference sessions, so I did not know that she was presenting. She has served as a reference for me and we email occasionally, but I had not seen her in seven years. Of course, I attended her presentation.

3. Since I did not pre-select my sessions, I took advantage of going with the flow and attended great sessions on a variety of topics: Sophomores/Second Year Students, Assessment, Technology in Advising, First Year Students, and Graduate Interns.

4. I hung out with two conference buddies in Denver. I enjoyed spending time with these ladies.

5. I also had the opportunity to connect with other UTSA advisors who I do not regularly get to see at work. We enjoyed getting together for dinner two nights in a row.

6. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed walking around Downtown Denver.

7. A friend introduced me to Pinkberry frozen yogurt. If you have one in your area, go get some peanut butter yogurt with your favorite topping for me. There are not any locations in San Antonio. (Someone with more money than an Academic Advisor should start a franchise here!)

8. I got to meet other academic advisors from all over the U.S. and the world. I chatted with advisors from Ohio, California, Hawaii, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, and Hong Kong.

9. I learned so much, including more about Sophomores/Second Year students and Assessment. I have taken a lot of ideas home with me and hope to use and implement them.

10. I am finally on Twitter and looking forward to the Academic Advising Chat each Tuesday.

For more Ten Things on the Tenth of the Month posts, visit shimelle.com

Thanks to one of my conference buddies for taking my photo at our hotel.

Ode to the Lunch Hour

I am writing this post during my lunch hour. I did not truly appreciate the lunch hour until I took my 12 weeks of FMLA with Alex. I value having that time with him, but I also learned how demanding it is to care for a baby full-time. I barely had time to eat and kept quick meals around the house.

I returned to my job with a new appreciation for my lunch hour. A whole hour! Before having Alex I used to mainly just use the time to go out to lunch. Now I know how valuable this time is! Sometimes I do still go out to lunch, but other times I run errands and accomplish so much. Sometimes I catch up with some co-workers and eat in the office. Somedays I can meet up with my mom for lunch. If I want some quiet, alone time, I can shut my door and just relax. I can even squeeze in a quick workout (which I should do more often).

Sometimes It is Good Just to be Home

Tuesday was a busy day at work and mentally exhausting. With the start of the spring semester, students were still sorting out their schedules and various issues. I picked up Alex from daycare and found out that he had a rough day in his new room. It was only his second day there, and he was sad and dealing with diaper rash. It was the first time in over eighteen months of daycare that a teacher told me that he did not have a good day. (Note to self: do not take the good days for granted.)

I was looking forward to Stamp Club that evening after work. Some creative time sounded good even though I was tired. John had to work late and Alex needed a bath to help with the diaper rash. (Dr. Smith's Ointment has worked the best for Alex.) I had undressed Alex and was running a luke warm bath for him when it began. He had to pee - A LOT. It was all over the corner of the bathroom, including the rug and on my pants. I was shocked and did not know how to respond at first.

We got everything cleaned up and Alex went to bed. I did a load of laundry, and John gave the bathroom a really good cleaning when her came home. (Thank you Honey!) By that time, I knew that it was best just to stay home that evening. I put on my pajamas early and enjoyed some quiet time. I have realized the key to making all of this work (two full-time jobs, a toddler, a house, and two dogs) is to NOT try to do everything. Sometimes it is ok to stay home.

Daycare Confession

I was able to take 12 weeks off from work when I had Alex. Since I work at a university, people ask me if I have summers off. (No!) My office works with most of the new freshmen on campus, so summer is actually our busiest time of the year. June and July are busy but August is a blur. I went back to work at the end of May, and my goal was just to make it through that first summer of working and motherhood.

The good thing about summer is that we have the option to work a flex schedule with Friday afternoons off. I was so excited to pick up Alex early on my first Friday afternoon off. It was going to be great mommy and baby bonding time! Instead Alex slept the whole afternoon.

I found it difficult to have Alex in daycare the first year, even though he attends a wonderful on-campus center. Over time, it has become easier because of all he is learning. He really enjoys going to "school" most days.

As I type this post, I am off work and Alex is at daycare. The good thing is that I accomplished a lot around the house today, and I do not feel guilty.