Orientation: Finding your Peeps

One of the most important things I have ever done was to find MY PEOPLE.  You know, the ones who get me.  The way I sing everything, all of the time, much to their chagrin.  My introverted nature.  My longshoreman mouth.  My sarcastic humor.  Because these people have been my rock of stability during the storms that happen during the school year.

So how does one locate a peep?
1.  Put on a "Hi My Name Is" and replace your name with Inigo Montoyo or Slim Shady
2.  Look for people who get the joke.
3.  Smile, because they are probably your peep

Ok, Ok.  This may not work in all situations and with all types of personalities.  But finding common ground with at least one person in your work environment during orientation can help set the mood for the year.  I personally am not an icebreaker person but the concept makes sense; force the group to split and speak to one another outside the normal clique.  Forced connections.  Meh.  I like to connect organically when I have the time and energy to pop into rooms and speak in a less chaotic environment.  Or maybe for the first few weeks, try to eat lunch in the staff lounge.

Often, I find that therapeeps (OT, PT, and Speech) will sit together because we typically understand each other's backgrounds.  We are healthcare providers who happen to be in the education setting.  We are using our super powers to help children access their school lives.  But that doesn't mean we cannot look beyond our scope of practice for connection.

Branch out.  Find a teacher of visual impairment, or teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing, or social worker, or special educator, or regular educator, or secretary, or teaching assistant, or nursing assistant.   In fact, FIND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE because you will need their expertise to get through your school year.  There will be questions, and these people may have the answer.  It is vital to daily survival to identify with whom you can connect and consult.

Will they necessarily be the people to which I vent and shed a tear? Probably not.  That is only reserved for the sacred circle of peeps.   But these individuals will collectively help you navigate the school year.  And maybe, just maybe you'll find a peep or two that make going to work a little more sugar-coated.