Just last week I began a new chapter in my educator adventures, I transferred from Grasso Tech in Groton to Ellis Tech in Danielson! It is a bittersweet change for me. I remember walking into my classroom at Grasso for the first time. It was so horrid!!! It had an accordion wall dividing my room from the other art teacher, a very tiny bathroom vanity type of sink, no white board, no blackboard, just a hobbled together flip chart pad. And to put the cherry on the top of the cake, the only supplies I had were a pair of scissors, a couple old wooden rulers and some copy paper! I am surprised I didn't run out of the building screaming!
Don't let my opening fool you, I loved my classroom and my students!! My time at Grasso helped shape the type of teacher I am today! I learned the importance of connecting with my students, which enabled me to design lessons around their interests, and offer them a place where they felt comfortable trying new things. To some walking by my room, a place of organized chaos, they might not have understood what was happening in 411. But my students did.
Over my years there, I got a real wall, new to me tables, a Smartboard, additional cabinets and a larger sink! It took me awhile, but finally built up a nice collection of art supplies, on top of the consumables like paper and paint. My students and I repurposed old bulletin boards and created paintings on them which hang all over the school; and lets not forget the murals in the shop wing! We took field trips to The Met in NYC, The Wadsworth in Hartford, Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, and Washington, D.C.!
But there comes a time in every great adventure, when it is time to move on to the next challenge. That time for me is now. I want to thank my students and colleagues at Grasso Tech. You will be missed, but you have left an indelible mark on my heart.
