My RESA news!

Well, today's the day.

Thursday, June 1.

I have been dreading this day since mid-August, when the reality dawned on me that this was my third year of my Resident Educator program (RESA), which is a requirement for all third-year Ohio teachers. For those who are unfamiliar, RESA is basically an assessment of whether or not you are a good teacher. Year 3 requires that teachers:

1. videotape two different lessons, dissect them and answer multiple questions about each and every part of them, show all of the tools used by both students and the teacher, and submit all components (video + + supplies used + questions/answers) it to the website by a specified date
2. collect both formative and summative assessments for different students, at different academic levels, tracking them throughout the course of a unit of study, analyzing and explaining the resulting data, and then submitting it all (work samples + data analysis) by a specified date
3. collect examples of communication with parents/caregivers, explain why communication is essential, show documentation of communication with colleagues, show how you have grown from professional development, and submit it all by a specified date

Are you exhausted just from reading it all?! I am! Oh, and not to mention...

(4. [Not included in RESA tasks, but still necessary and required of every teacher everywhere] teach an entire classroom full of children lessons based on the CCSS every day for an entire school year, have open communication with parents and caregivers of all students, maintain an orderly classroom environment, display classroom management, give hugs and band-aids as needed, be a parent for the students who need one, be a lawyer/judge/jury when students get into spats, communicate and collaborate with colleagues, collect daily formative assessments to guide lessons and planning... the list goes on and on and on...
(If you're bored and want to know more about RESA [or if you think I'm exaggerating 😉], all the info can be found right here!)

Well, I (and my other RESA colleagues) worked so diligently on these tasks, staying after school many nights to commiserate work in the same place and feel less alone. Altogether, I estimate that I put in about 60 full hours, outside of school time, to get it all done.

And the results are in!

Aaand... (drumroll please)

I didn't pass!

Well, okay, I passed 3 out of the 4 tasks. Luckily, I will only have to do the one that I failed (only by 11 points... have mercy!) and, even more luckily, it's the communication and professionalism one. I'm so glad that I don't have to videotape myself teaching again (guys, it got ugly... so, so ugly) and that I won't have to formally analyze my students' data.

I'm not going to lie: I'm a little disappointed to have not passed the first time around, but I have full confidence that I'll pass it next year! (Well, I have to... I don't have a choice. Ha!) And, to tell you the truth, I was fully expecting to have to retake at least 2 of them, so I was pretty tickled that I only failed one! So, my pity party lasted for about 4 1/2 seconds. Now, I'm ready to enjoy my summer!

Thanks for popping in and reading. I hope you have a fantastic day!