panic attack

I had a momentary panic attack a little while ago about the collaboration requirement for the internship. I was suddenly worried that the collaboration I did with Ms. J on Tuesday wasn't enough of a collaboration to count. I was all ready to try to do something else, and possibly come in on another day to get it done when I realized something.

I am so used to collaboration looking different in my school. As a full prep provider, when I collaborate with teachers I have so much more control over what goes on in my classroom, because usually the collaboration consists of the classroom teacher doing one aspect in their room, and me doing a component within the time I see those students. I can make the lesson much more in accord with my own standards because I have the time to do so.

In a setting like the middle school where the media specialist does not have pull-out classes, the role is different. It is more of a support to the objectives of the classroom teacher, and that looks a lot different than I was expecting. It doesn't really mean that I'll be in front of the class teaching a lesson. I might just be in the sidelines (or even behind the scene). From what I've seen this week, Ms. S will pop into the adjacent computer labs for awhile to offer support, sometimes just technical.

I know that Ms. S does a huge research unit all spring quarter. I'm going to have to ask her more of what that looks like, if she is running the show, or is more of a support.