Inspiration

I read this post last year on Teachers.net and saved it, knowing I would need to read it over and over during my first year of teaching. Knowing that my anxiety is already building up as I start my second week, I read it again tonight. It makes me feel better so I thought I'd share.


Things will calm down as time goes on. I used to feel especially
anxious every Monday morning. The stress can be overwhelming at
times. But honestly, the one thing I am taking with me as I end my
first year of teaching...is that the more you are able to relax and
enjoy the experience instead of feeling like you HAVE to be on top
of your game ALL the time, the better off you will be.

Accept that you will learn more this year than you ever thought
possible. Accept that you will make TONS of mistakes...and everyone
will be okay even though you do. Accept that no one expects you to
be even close to perfect. And if you end your first year knowing
that you are better today than you were in September, you've
succeeded.

Be nervous. It's part of the game. But there will be days when you
have to say to yourself..."I'm doing the best that I can do. It's
time for me to relax and enjoy some of this experience."
Your students are little people with problems and lives of their
own. Treat them with as much compassion as you can. KNOW that you
will NOT LIKE all of them every day. When you break down and yell or
cry occasionally, forgive yourself. You're human too. Teaching is so
hard. No one gets it right all of the time the first go around.
Reflect often. Try EVERYTHING once. Don't be afraid to admit that
something that works for another successful teacher may not work for
you. But also don't be afraid to beg, borrow and steal. And go to
the master veterans for help and for answers. Admit when you've
failed and seek ways to improve with the help of those that have
been through what you will be going through. Don't be afraid to
change rules, routines, and procedures as often as necessary. You
haven't lost the game if you don't get it right the first week of
school. Tweek until you do. Things will start to work.

I didn't get my reading groups the way I liked them until May of
this year. I revamped four times before I got it right! I apologized
to my students every time I decided to try something new with them
and kept trying until I was satisfied.

Your students can be resources. Allow them to help you in the
classroom. They can be your best aides, guides, assistants, and
critiques. They are expert problem-solvers. Stuck for a fun game for
P.E.? Your students will come up with one within 5 minutes. Stuck
for ways to group or pair your kids up for a lesson or activity?
Your students won't be. Stuck for ways to reward your class or
consequences for breaking rules? Your students won't be. Don't feel
like you are a one-man/woman show. Don't feel like giving up control
is wrong. Allow your class to be part of the decision making.

Finally, accept that you are going to feel frustrated and inadequate
a lot. But also know, that the only reason that is true is because
you are striving to be the best teacher you can be. And anyone who
is giving 110% is top-notch, no matter how you slice it. Give
yourself a pat on the back often and don't be afraid to give
yourself breaks. Throw away a stack of papers if you don't have
energy to grade. Go in on the occasional Monday with just your back-
up plans in tow. Wing it once or twice during the week. Take those
personal days and treat yourself to a care-free day of shopping.
Allow yourself the luxury of turning away from your class, face your
white board and silently cuss the world around you. (Hehe, it can be
a great stress reliever.) In other words, be human and live the
experience the way it was meant to be lived.

You'll do great, and you will be a better person in June of 2007.
I had a tough first year, but I don't regret a second and I wouldn't
change a thing. Today was my last day of school, and I'm fried. But
I know I'm going to be 10 x the teacher I was this year come August.
And that's a pretty satisfying feeling.
Cheers,
--hlk

Obligatory Cute Miles Moments

Cute Miles moment #1-

Miles has been talking a lot about mosquitoes this summer since they were the bane of our existence in Oklahoma. A couple days ago, Matt and Miles were outside and he told Matt he had to go feed the mosquitoes. Matt followed Miles, curious to see what he was talking about and Miles started gently putting rocks in a bush. Somehow, Matt was able to find out that he misunderstood Miles. Miles was saying "mesquites." Apparently mesquite bushes eat rocks. We're not sure where Miles picked up "mesquites," pronounced the Spanish way "mes-qui-te," or why he decided they eat rocks, but we now regularly feed our bushes.

Cute Miles moment #2-

Miles and I were lying down getting ready for him to go to sleep. As a last minute ploy to stay awake a couple more minutes, he decided to have a banana. While he ate, we said our prayers and I talked to him about God. "Miles, did you know God made you?" "Yes." "Did you know God made Mama and Daddy too?" "Yes." "And the sun, and the moon, and the stars come from God?" "Yes." "And the trees, and animals, and even that banana you're eating?" "No, Mama! The banana is from the refrigerator!"

lesson plans

I worked hard Saturday and today and I think I almost know what I'm doing next week. Soon, my team and I will be able to sit down together and come up with lesson plans but for now I just decided I am not ready to wing it. I need to know what I'm doing in advance. So I made up my plans and filled the other fourth grade teacher's mailbox with plans from this last week out into the official template and plans for this week. I'm feeling like I must be awesome to have this together when no one else does yet. But, considering they have all been teaching for longer than me, they probably just don't need them as badly. I'm going to ignore that fact and pretend like it is just because no one else is as awesome as me (or neurotic).

End of the first week

I'm so glad I have a 3 day weekend. I was exhausted. I don't think I have been this tired since after I gave birth to Miles. While I was in college, I kept thinking about how all this preparation was like being pregnant. It was the time I had to imagine and dream about the future, to read and gather things I would need knowing I would never have a chance again once I got started teaching. Now, after my first week teaching, I think the metaphor is still apt but I wish it wasn't. Preparing my classroom was definitely labor. These first few weeks are going to make me exhausted and sleep deprived. Friday and Saturday, I felt overwhelmed, spread too thin, and frankly postpartum. I cried Saturday because I had caught a head cold, had no lesson plans for next week, felt like a terrible mother and wife who had abandoned her family, and so, so tired.

Life got better after I quit working on lesson plans and picked Miles up from his grandma's house. Today, I spent the whole day with Miles and Matt and just took it easy. I decided I'd work on school stuff for no more than two hours today and I wouldn't worry about it until those two hours started. By the time I was ready to sit down and get to work, I was refreshed enough to rip out a few plans quickly and feel good about them. I'm still tired. I'm still congested, but I'm beginning to feel more sane. Playing with my son is what I really needed.