For K3...Why I Love Little Kid School

So, this post is dedicated to K3 -- in another attempt to convert her to school-based speech-language pathology (another hack at the perpetual Hospital vs. School debate).

When people first heard that I was back in "Big Kid" school, I got a few, "Boy, you must LOVE being in school" or "Wow, you just can't get enough, huh?" Totally not true! Really, the idea of what this newfound knowledge will enable me to do is the biggest motivator behind me going back to school.

As far as working in "Little Kid" School, I LOVE it! Reasons why I love working in the schools (for as a non-District employee):

1. Seven hour work days including a paid half hour lunch! (I don't think I could ever polish my real work hours down to 7 hours b/c I get there at least an hour before school begins...partly b/c I avoid 405 and parking lot traffic, and I leave at least 15 minutes after the bell to avoid parking lot traffic.)
   
2. ALL the legal and school holidays! I work 183 days a year (I get paid a 12-month salary for 10 months...and can still work summer school and get paid regular salaried rate for fewer hours and still have a few weeks off).
   
3. When kids are away at camp or assembly, I am not legally required to make-up the sessions (big stress reliever).
4. I attend so many meetings and trainings that it breaks my day up and keeps the schedule/work varied and interesting.
5. Once everyone has settled in (and the group dynamics are right), you will love working with the kids b/c 1) they work hard and 2) make you laugh.
   
6. Kids are so forgiving...I can be my goofy, clumsy, crazy self and they certainly don't judge me as much as big people might.
7. Everyday is so different...and the variety and excitement is contributes to high career satisfaction for me
   
8. I have my own "office"/room...and I'm pretty much my own boss on campus (since I don't work for the District). That is not to be confused with me not feeling the pressure of representing my employer (the County).
9. I rarely attend school site meetings (that are always after school)...b/c I work for the County and not the District. =P
   
10. It's an awesome feeling when your students stop by to either say hello or ask when they will come again for speech. (It's hilarious when students you don't even have on your caseload say hello and ask why they can't come with the other kids.)
11. It's a sobering feeling (a good reality check) when your students confide in you. They trust you and enjoy your presence.
12. Hardly any work brought home...unless you have a high-profile case that you really want to prepare well for. Then maybe 1 hour max to write and review your report -- but that is also ONLY if it is a triennial...meaning every 3rd year of therapy! Oh, and also if you take the time to create therapy materials (I only do that for my 320s. For my regular SPEDs, I use all purchased materials and tweak games.)
    
13. Lucky for me, none of my regular special education cases are high profile (as far as I know) (but pretty much all of my 320s are just by nature of the kiddos' disability).
14. I work at one site (I would hate to work at more than 1 site.)
15. I work with middle school kids...which I suspect tremendously cuts down on the amount of paperwork I do when compared to my associates who work with the younger ones.
    
16. Educator discounts! (I just enrolled for a AT&T discount.)
    

To be continued...