Monday, February 25, 2013
Bronchitis
Hi, all! I just want to say that as a teacher, it's your worst nightmare to be sick. Ever. I have a stack of paperwork as thick as one of the "Harry Potter" books and worse, it's all due Thursday. No worries, though - I'm only going to be getting the full load Wednesday night.
Monday, February 11, 2013
20 First-Year Teacher Tips
If anyone wants me to cover a specific topic, just let me know and I'll write a post! :) Today's post, I am dedicating to someone who reached out to me on Facebook and was asking about tips. I talk way too much, so I decided to make a blog post.
So, I'll preface this by saying the thing every professor of education ever says... There are so many unknowns and every situation is unique. There's no "one" answer to classroom problems; it depends on the personality of your class, the personality of the teacher, the situation, etc. With that said, I'm hoping to create a list of universals that can be individually applied, based on lessons I've learned during my first year teaching experience. I'm going to focus on what going to class doesn't teach you, so no Bloom's Taxonomy here.
Also know that my teaching experience is unique and has a set of challenges most teachers don't have (teaching at one school once a week and a second school four days a week). I have had to adapt and overcome these obstacles, or at least to make the obstacles more manageable.
1. Listen to advice of teachers. They have techniques and knowledge that have been practically applied.
2. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARENTS. Never have a parent coming to you asking, "Why didn't you tell me Johnny was getting a D?" or something like it as much as you can. It is never a pleasant conversation; no matter what Johnny did or didn't do to earn that grade, it will be seen as your fault. You have to be on top of your game from marking period one - having all the grades in on time, informing the parents well ahead of time. Otherwise, grades have a snowball effect - if one marking period is off, somehow, every marking period is off, one way or another.
If parents don't see you as working toward the success of your child, they will see you as an enemy. Make sure you have a good relationship with the parents. This was one of my *top* newbie errors. If you don't have clear communication, it will easily make your job extremely unpleasant. There have been days that I didn't think I'd make it to the end of another week. The other thing is this: sometimes, you have support. Most times, you're on your own.
If you do end up in a situation like this, always stay calm and listen to the parents. They are there out of concern for their child, not because they hate you. Always show appreciation for their input and for their concern and involvement, and always find something positive (and truthful) to say about their child. Be able to defend your position with paperwork. Always greet them with a smile and make them feel at ease before any meeting starts. Even the most intimidating meetings will have a positive outcome if you do these things.
Just remember, though: you are the teacher.
Meeting with parents is always enlightening. Everyone walks away learning something. It always has a positive outcome, even if it doesn't always make you feel good or stress-free. Always look for the positive.
3. Be organized. Know where you keep everything. Grade everything within one week of getting it, and then record the grade on paper and electronically. Know who's missing what and inform those students regularly. If it becomes a chronic issue, alert a parent. Parents can be a strong force and have the power to affect how a student performs and acts in your class.
4. Take the first day or week for setting up classroom management strategies and learning everyone's name. I have had fewer problems this year because I spent day one SOLELY on why we were learning and what I expected.
5. Come up with some hand signal or something that means "be quiet"/"pay attention" (in an age-appropriate way). There is no reason you should have to humiliate yourself and scream and lose your voice (or sound whiny) to quiet a room. Have some respect for your vocal cords - you already use them quite a bit in this profession, and even the best class will get cabin fever and start acting out. There have been many a day I have come home with a slightly sore throat.
6. Love your students, even when it's tough. I genuinely love my students because they are very unique. Sometimes, the uniqueness involves quirky behavior, for which you must continually correct them. Love doesn't mean "like". There are some days I don't like what they do, to me or to other students. I love them always because I always want the best for them - success, happiness; discovering how to be a good human being. ALWAYS AND UNCONDITIONALLY.
7. Be positive about work and be professional at all times. Social media is NOT the outlet for work stress, minor or major. If you have a problem, talk to that person like an adult. If that person is a student, talk to his or her parent. Never say anything you wouldn't want someone else to quote. Besides, no one cares if you complain, and everyone loves a cheerful giver.
8. Be confident. Fake it until you make it. Teaching is maybe 5% what you know and 95% being able to go with the flow and make executive decisions on the spot. The kids look to you to be an authority - you need to be that for them, no matter how imperfect you are. You're not God - you're the adult in the room. Be the leaf and go with the flow.
9. Be prepared to lose your weekends. Teaching is the only profession where it's expected that you work on your own time at home and not get paid for it, volunteer after school, go to staff meetings, and still go above and beyond for your job. I have spent many weekends lesson planning, grading, creating assignments, and trying to think of ways to make it all fun all at once - and I am working 4-5 part-time jobs and making a pittance. I don't even work full-time. You must LOVE what you do. At the same time, a certain amount of organization and time during the week helps decrease the amount you do on your days off. This job is more stressful than you expect, even if you're prepared. With that said, it won't kill you to have a weekend out if you need it to feel like a human being once in a while.
10. Know that you want to be a teacher BEFORE you enter the profession. Get some experience doing something minor scale first. Listen to the feedback you get. If it's very good, take it as a good sign and go from there. If not, truly consider changing careers - it's only going to get harder from there.
11. Focus on other people when you are not at work. This may just be me, but if someone asks me about teaching, I will destroy conversations because I can discuss it forever - and I'm a blabber mouth, so I might say good and bad. I made it a policy in my personal life NOT to talk about work unless I have to, or I have some short and entertaining/lighthearted tale to tell. I would rather hear about YOUR day than tell you about mine.
12. Be prepared to no longer be "cool". You may be young and vibrant and know all the latest bands etc, but the minute it comes out of your mouth, you are "old" and not cool. Be personable and relatable, but give up on cool. Remember: you're the adult in the room.
13. Avoid gossip and negative people.
14. Get to know your students and stay after school. I try very hard to give students EVERY chance to succeed, and I will do what it takes.
15. Dress professionally. How you dress is how people will treat you. If you dress as though you're a force to be reckoned with, and have an attitude to match, you will be treated as such. Plus, older students (and other teachers!) recognize a sweet outfit and they love it! Compliments always make the day go just a little more smoothly.
16. When you are burning out, realize that you are human, not a work machine, and respect your human needs. Lonely? Contact a friend. Sick? Sleep, take the time off. Stressed? Give yourself the weekend. Exercise. Whatever you like to do, make some time for. You are not a slave. You are a teacher. It is a lot of work, but you must be ready to face the classroom every day. The kids need it, you need it, everyone needs it. Be kind to you.
17. Use group work and projects, but use it wisely. This is one of those classroom management things... Everyone wants to be that teacher the kids love, but if you don't structure your activities right, everyone will be unhappy no matter how lovely you are. I find if I just do group work, someone never has their work done because he or she goofed off all class. I like using jigsaw groups, because everyone in the group has a purpose. Fun is fine, but it needs focus.
18. Use rubrics. It's great you assigned a project.... Not so great when you have 113 to grade and then don't know what to do with them all. Rubrics save SO MUCH TIME!!!!!! It also prevents the agony of "do I give this kid an A or a B+?" It also helps the kids understand your expectations so they can produce the best work possible - and that's what you want, right!?!
19. Familiarize with how your subject area is applied outside the classroom, and always look up research in your field (or know where to point curious kids). Kids have TONS of questions - some related to your lesson, some not, and others that are things you've never thought of. You can pick and choose the questions you answer - you want to maximize the time you have.
20. NEVER say or believe that your kids are "dumb" or "stupid" or "bad" or "can't learn" - intelligence is *not* the reason kids fail. I believe that 100% based on the data I've collected for two marking periods.
There is more I could say, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. Again, I'll take requests for topics! For now, I've talked more than enough...
So, I'll preface this by saying the thing every professor of education ever says... There are so many unknowns and every situation is unique. There's no "one" answer to classroom problems; it depends on the personality of your class, the personality of the teacher, the situation, etc. With that said, I'm hoping to create a list of universals that can be individually applied, based on lessons I've learned during my first year teaching experience. I'm going to focus on what going to class doesn't teach you, so no Bloom's Taxonomy here.
Also know that my teaching experience is unique and has a set of challenges most teachers don't have (teaching at one school once a week and a second school four days a week). I have had to adapt and overcome these obstacles, or at least to make the obstacles more manageable.
1. Listen to advice of teachers. They have techniques and knowledge that have been practically applied.
2. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARENTS. Never have a parent coming to you asking, "Why didn't you tell me Johnny was getting a D?" or something like it as much as you can. It is never a pleasant conversation; no matter what Johnny did or didn't do to earn that grade, it will be seen as your fault. You have to be on top of your game from marking period one - having all the grades in on time, informing the parents well ahead of time. Otherwise, grades have a snowball effect - if one marking period is off, somehow, every marking period is off, one way or another.
If parents don't see you as working toward the success of your child, they will see you as an enemy. Make sure you have a good relationship with the parents. This was one of my *top* newbie errors. If you don't have clear communication, it will easily make your job extremely unpleasant. There have been days that I didn't think I'd make it to the end of another week. The other thing is this: sometimes, you have support. Most times, you're on your own.
If you do end up in a situation like this, always stay calm and listen to the parents. They are there out of concern for their child, not because they hate you. Always show appreciation for their input and for their concern and involvement, and always find something positive (and truthful) to say about their child. Be able to defend your position with paperwork. Always greet them with a smile and make them feel at ease before any meeting starts. Even the most intimidating meetings will have a positive outcome if you do these things.
Just remember, though: you are the teacher.
Meeting with parents is always enlightening. Everyone walks away learning something. It always has a positive outcome, even if it doesn't always make you feel good or stress-free. Always look for the positive.
3. Be organized. Know where you keep everything. Grade everything within one week of getting it, and then record the grade on paper and electronically. Know who's missing what and inform those students regularly. If it becomes a chronic issue, alert a parent. Parents can be a strong force and have the power to affect how a student performs and acts in your class.
4. Take the first day or week for setting up classroom management strategies and learning everyone's name. I have had fewer problems this year because I spent day one SOLELY on why we were learning and what I expected.
5. Come up with some hand signal or something that means "be quiet"/"pay attention" (in an age-appropriate way). There is no reason you should have to humiliate yourself and scream and lose your voice (or sound whiny) to quiet a room. Have some respect for your vocal cords - you already use them quite a bit in this profession, and even the best class will get cabin fever and start acting out. There have been many a day I have come home with a slightly sore throat.
6. Love your students, even when it's tough. I genuinely love my students because they are very unique. Sometimes, the uniqueness involves quirky behavior, for which you must continually correct them. Love doesn't mean "like". There are some days I don't like what they do, to me or to other students. I love them always because I always want the best for them - success, happiness; discovering how to be a good human being. ALWAYS AND UNCONDITIONALLY.
7. Be positive about work and be professional at all times. Social media is NOT the outlet for work stress, minor or major. If you have a problem, talk to that person like an adult. If that person is a student, talk to his or her parent. Never say anything you wouldn't want someone else to quote. Besides, no one cares if you complain, and everyone loves a cheerful giver.
8. Be confident. Fake it until you make it. Teaching is maybe 5% what you know and 95% being able to go with the flow and make executive decisions on the spot. The kids look to you to be an authority - you need to be that for them, no matter how imperfect you are. You're not God - you're the adult in the room. Be the leaf and go with the flow.
9. Be prepared to lose your weekends. Teaching is the only profession where it's expected that you work on your own time at home and not get paid for it, volunteer after school, go to staff meetings, and still go above and beyond for your job. I have spent many weekends lesson planning, grading, creating assignments, and trying to think of ways to make it all fun all at once - and I am working 4-5 part-time jobs and making a pittance. I don't even work full-time. You must LOVE what you do. At the same time, a certain amount of organization and time during the week helps decrease the amount you do on your days off. This job is more stressful than you expect, even if you're prepared. With that said, it won't kill you to have a weekend out if you need it to feel like a human being once in a while.
10. Know that you want to be a teacher BEFORE you enter the profession. Get some experience doing something minor scale first. Listen to the feedback you get. If it's very good, take it as a good sign and go from there. If not, truly consider changing careers - it's only going to get harder from there.
11. Focus on other people when you are not at work. This may just be me, but if someone asks me about teaching, I will destroy conversations because I can discuss it forever - and I'm a blabber mouth, so I might say good and bad. I made it a policy in my personal life NOT to talk about work unless I have to, or I have some short and entertaining/lighthearted tale to tell. I would rather hear about YOUR day than tell you about mine.
12. Be prepared to no longer be "cool". You may be young and vibrant and know all the latest bands etc, but the minute it comes out of your mouth, you are "old" and not cool. Be personable and relatable, but give up on cool. Remember: you're the adult in the room.
13. Avoid gossip and negative people.
14. Get to know your students and stay after school. I try very hard to give students EVERY chance to succeed, and I will do what it takes.
15. Dress professionally. How you dress is how people will treat you. If you dress as though you're a force to be reckoned with, and have an attitude to match, you will be treated as such. Plus, older students (and other teachers!) recognize a sweet outfit and they love it! Compliments always make the day go just a little more smoothly.
16. When you are burning out, realize that you are human, not a work machine, and respect your human needs. Lonely? Contact a friend. Sick? Sleep, take the time off. Stressed? Give yourself the weekend. Exercise. Whatever you like to do, make some time for. You are not a slave. You are a teacher. It is a lot of work, but you must be ready to face the classroom every day. The kids need it, you need it, everyone needs it. Be kind to you.
17. Use group work and projects, but use it wisely. This is one of those classroom management things... Everyone wants to be that teacher the kids love, but if you don't structure your activities right, everyone will be unhappy no matter how lovely you are. I find if I just do group work, someone never has their work done because he or she goofed off all class. I like using jigsaw groups, because everyone in the group has a purpose. Fun is fine, but it needs focus.
18. Use rubrics. It's great you assigned a project.... Not so great when you have 113 to grade and then don't know what to do with them all. Rubrics save SO MUCH TIME!!!!!! It also prevents the agony of "do I give this kid an A or a B+?" It also helps the kids understand your expectations so they can produce the best work possible - and that's what you want, right!?!
19. Familiarize with how your subject area is applied outside the classroom, and always look up research in your field (or know where to point curious kids). Kids have TONS of questions - some related to your lesson, some not, and others that are things you've never thought of. You can pick and choose the questions you answer - you want to maximize the time you have.
20. NEVER say or believe that your kids are "dumb" or "stupid" or "bad" or "can't learn" - intelligence is *not* the reason kids fail. I believe that 100% based on the data I've collected for two marking periods.
There is more I could say, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. Again, I'll take requests for topics! For now, I've talked more than enough...
Friday, February 8, 2013
Michael Sloan, Classicist, Writes in Defense of Liberal Arts
As a teacher of the liberal arts, I am a firm believer that what is needed more today than ever is a liberal arts education. The modern world seems to ask its next generation to become a machine, able to compute on demand; I have nothing against other disciplines and I believe STEM is a fantastic thing and I think everyone interested, especially women, should pursue it. Nevertheless, without the humanities, a proper education is incomplete, and the idea that what it teaches are "unemployable" skills is erroneous and flawed. The humanities teach the next generation and future generations how to THINK, how to BE human, how to communicate effectively, share ideas, etc. These are incredibly necessary skills. They are not any less necessary or less important than "employable" and "practical" skills.
I came across this article on Twitter; it is not mine. I have posted the link to the original article.
------
Original Article:
http://www.journalnow.com/opinion/columnists/article_35bf399c-7185-11e2-99e9-001a4bcf6878.html
Posted: Friday, February 8, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 7:45 am, Fri Feb 8, 2013.
Wake Forest University
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s comments on national radio suggest that taxpayer dollars supporting women’s and gender studies and philosophy classes is wasted money. Those programs, along with many others perceived as academic pursuits “that have no chance of getting people jobs,” are headed for the fiscal chopping block. According to McCrory, liberal arts studies do not lead to employment. The problem is, he’s wrong.
In fact, 95 percent of survey respondents from Wake Forest University’s class of 2012 reported either being employed or in graduate school six months after graduation. Nearly 31 percent of them remain in North Carolina. If history and philosophy and classics majors can’t find success after college, how can a liberal arts university such as Wake Forest account for these numbers?
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently published its Job Outlook 2013 Survey, which identifies the core competencies employers seek in college graduates. These skills correspond very strongly with the content and skills acquired through a liberal arts education. The survey identifies communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and organization. Communication, which includes the ability to listen to others and articulate one’s own thoughts, rated first in nine out of the last 10 years.
As a classics professor, I come to class every day preparing my students for good jobs, but perhaps more importantly, equipping them with the necessary tools for creative and broad thinking — the type of intellectual training that does not merely fill available jobs but creates new ones.
Classics, a field all too familiar with the chopping block — and the one I know best — is primarily the study of Greek and Latin languages and their literatures. In the classroom, students learn to translate Greek or Latin into spoken and/or written English. After conceptually organizing its wider historical context, they critically examine and interpret the material. Finally, they integrate the lessons with their own perceptions and observations. What we do every day, in every class, hones the very skills the NACE reports that employers want.
Let us not forget the lesson offered by Sophocles’ “Ajax,” a canonical work of the classics. Ajax, a mountain of a man, was a mighty hero with a limited set of skills, however, the burgeoning Greek democracy required a new type of hero: one who was articulate, creative and a good leader. Greece required people like Odysseus; the strength of Ajax was of lesser value, and his demise was tragic.
“Liberal arts” is a phrase taken from the Latin, artes liberales , which means “the skills of a free person.” Pursuing the liberal arts in depth broadens our moral and intellectual horizons. Should we be as narrow-minded as our immediate surroundings? No. We must explore the thoughts, deeds and actions of others who have come before us, so as to forge a broader road on which we all may travel with a greater sense of identity and promise for the future. Martin Luther King Jr. (religion), J.K. Rowling (classics), David Packard of HP (classics) and Condoleezza Rice (political science) became great not through narrow skill but liberal training. Do we not realize that job creation is the work of creative minds, wise leaders and broad thinkers? Do we seek to fill only those jobs that currently exist and effectively inhibit new avenues for greater job creation?
What the governor, who is himself a liberal arts graduate, proposes is not higher education but lower.
Classics and other disciplines in a liberal arts curriculum offer students a rare opportunity to listen to the minds of their ancestors, wrestle with profound questions and better understand human behavior. Global leaders recognize that students from a liberal arts environment emerge with nimble and adaptable minds trained to wrestle with complex ideas and discover innovative solutions — essential in our uncertain world. Why should North Carolina be any different? North Carolina citizens should hope Homer and Odysseus are not headed out to sea.
The governor’s assessment is wrong. Classics and other liberal arts studies help students develop skills that are transferable to the career opportunities of the 21st century. Industry and technology change quickly and, for the most part, humans do not.
In his interview with Bill Bennett, McCrory said, “If you want to take gender studies, that’s fine, go to a private school and take it. But I don’t want to subsidize that if that’s not going to get someone a job.”
Depriving students in North Carolina’s public university system the opportunity to develop employers’ sought-after skills is at best short-sighted, but in reality, counterproductive. We don’t need less study of the disciplines named and implied, we need more. A complex world requires versatile and visionary leaders. That’s why liberal arts programs have been — and will continue to be — the natural breeding ground for our future leaders.
Michael Sloan is an assistant professor of classical languages at Wake Forest University. The Journal welcomes original submissions for guest columns on local, regional and statewide topics. Essay length should not exceed 750 words. The writer should have some authority for writing about his or her subject. Our email address is: Letters@wsjournal.com. Essays may also be mailed to: The Readers’ Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Please include your name and address and a daytime telephone number.
© 2013 Winston-Salem Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
I came across this article on Twitter; it is not mine. I have posted the link to the original article.
------
Original Article:
http://www.journalnow.com/opinion/columnists/article_35bf399c-7185-11e2-99e9-001a4bcf6878.html
Posted: Friday, February 8, 2013 12:00 am | Updated: 7:45 am, Fri Feb 8, 2013.
Wake Forest University
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s comments on national radio suggest that taxpayer dollars supporting women’s and gender studies and philosophy classes is wasted money. Those programs, along with many others perceived as academic pursuits “that have no chance of getting people jobs,” are headed for the fiscal chopping block. According to McCrory, liberal arts studies do not lead to employment. The problem is, he’s wrong.
In fact, 95 percent of survey respondents from Wake Forest University’s class of 2012 reported either being employed or in graduate school six months after graduation. Nearly 31 percent of them remain in North Carolina. If history and philosophy and classics majors can’t find success after college, how can a liberal arts university such as Wake Forest account for these numbers?
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently published its Job Outlook 2013 Survey, which identifies the core competencies employers seek in college graduates. These skills correspond very strongly with the content and skills acquired through a liberal arts education. The survey identifies communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and organization. Communication, which includes the ability to listen to others and articulate one’s own thoughts, rated first in nine out of the last 10 years.
As a classics professor, I come to class every day preparing my students for good jobs, but perhaps more importantly, equipping them with the necessary tools for creative and broad thinking — the type of intellectual training that does not merely fill available jobs but creates new ones.
Classics, a field all too familiar with the chopping block — and the one I know best — is primarily the study of Greek and Latin languages and their literatures. In the classroom, students learn to translate Greek or Latin into spoken and/or written English. After conceptually organizing its wider historical context, they critically examine and interpret the material. Finally, they integrate the lessons with their own perceptions and observations. What we do every day, in every class, hones the very skills the NACE reports that employers want.
Let us not forget the lesson offered by Sophocles’ “Ajax,” a canonical work of the classics. Ajax, a mountain of a man, was a mighty hero with a limited set of skills, however, the burgeoning Greek democracy required a new type of hero: one who was articulate, creative and a good leader. Greece required people like Odysseus; the strength of Ajax was of lesser value, and his demise was tragic.
“Liberal arts” is a phrase taken from the Latin, artes liberales , which means “the skills of a free person.” Pursuing the liberal arts in depth broadens our moral and intellectual horizons. Should we be as narrow-minded as our immediate surroundings? No. We must explore the thoughts, deeds and actions of others who have come before us, so as to forge a broader road on which we all may travel with a greater sense of identity and promise for the future. Martin Luther King Jr. (religion), J.K. Rowling (classics), David Packard of HP (classics) and Condoleezza Rice (political science) became great not through narrow skill but liberal training. Do we not realize that job creation is the work of creative minds, wise leaders and broad thinkers? Do we seek to fill only those jobs that currently exist and effectively inhibit new avenues for greater job creation?
What the governor, who is himself a liberal arts graduate, proposes is not higher education but lower.
Classics and other disciplines in a liberal arts curriculum offer students a rare opportunity to listen to the minds of their ancestors, wrestle with profound questions and better understand human behavior. Global leaders recognize that students from a liberal arts environment emerge with nimble and adaptable minds trained to wrestle with complex ideas and discover innovative solutions — essential in our uncertain world. Why should North Carolina be any different? North Carolina citizens should hope Homer and Odysseus are not headed out to sea.
The governor’s assessment is wrong. Classics and other liberal arts studies help students develop skills that are transferable to the career opportunities of the 21st century. Industry and technology change quickly and, for the most part, humans do not.
In his interview with Bill Bennett, McCrory said, “If you want to take gender studies, that’s fine, go to a private school and take it. But I don’t want to subsidize that if that’s not going to get someone a job.”
Depriving students in North Carolina’s public university system the opportunity to develop employers’ sought-after skills is at best short-sighted, but in reality, counterproductive. We don’t need less study of the disciplines named and implied, we need more. A complex world requires versatile and visionary leaders. That’s why liberal arts programs have been — and will continue to be — the natural breeding ground for our future leaders.
Michael Sloan is an assistant professor of classical languages at Wake Forest University. The Journal welcomes original submissions for guest columns on local, regional and statewide topics. Essay length should not exceed 750 words. The writer should have some authority for writing about his or her subject. Our email address is: Letters@wsjournal.com. Essays may also be mailed to: The Readers’ Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Please include your name and address and a daytime telephone number.
© 2013 Winston-Salem Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
First Year Teaching
I came across this site on Pinterest: http://voices.yahoo.com/confessions-first-year-teacher-3696934.html?cat=4 I'm glad to see that this is a more universal experience. Many people really have no clue how difficult it really is to do this job - show some love to a teacher!
A Day In The Life: You've Gotta Laugh
Yes, I know there were a couple of blog posts that used to be here, but I deleted them... Some on purpose, some by accident (whoops... Touch screens). I'm starting fresh here.
In the third marking period, I am feeling much more confident and that I understand what I need to do to succeed at my job. There are some weeks that are tougher than others, and sometimes the kids do make me crazy, but they're just kids and I love all of my students, all the time. That's true no matter their background, who they are, or what they've done. I have always wanted them to know that I love them and care about the individuals they are going to be first and foremost - I came to their classroom hoping to be a role model, as imperfect as I am. The world is bankrupt of goodness, and in kids, there is so much of hope. The day to day can get in the way and cloud this overall vision, which is the real reason anyone becomes a teacher at the end of the day, I suppose. I came as a teacher, but also as an adult they can love and trust - just someone they can have in their lives. I'm making memories I know I will look back and laugh at (and I hope they do, too). My first year of teaching has been very difficult, especially not having a mentor, but it has not been impossible.
I've learned a lot and adapted over the course of this year. There were many obstacles I had to overcome, obstacles I didn't know were ahead because of inexperience. This year has been so worth it. I have had parents thank me personally for everything that I do for their kids. I've had kids thank me for what I've done, I got Christmas presents from some of them, people I did not even know in September. It's been a very touching and very blessed adventure. Although I've had speed bumps in PR and figuring out what assessments work, the personality (and the names!) of the kids, and classroom management, I am not doing so badly. I have learned little practical things that will help me going forward put aside the management part and just have a classroom.
And yes, while I have felt the drama of the everyday moment, the bigger picture is much more blessed. At the end of the day, I am going to laugh because I know what I have done is influence the future. I have been trying my best to guide students not just on the way to academic success, but even more crucially, on the path of *human* success. These kids are not going to remember Latin at the end of the day, unless by some miracle someone wants to be a classicist; they might remember the class and they might remember some random tidbit here and there; however, they will remember how they felt in that class, even if they take nothing else away. I am a humanities teacher, and the humanities will ever remain useful because they teach us what it means to be HUMAN - not a machine. I have respect for every discipline, but over them all, I will always champion the humanities. As Aristotle would agree, the most impractical things are the most necessary.
Life is beautiful. My profession is beautiful. My students are beautiful and worthy. I just want them to know that.
In the third marking period, I am feeling much more confident and that I understand what I need to do to succeed at my job. There are some weeks that are tougher than others, and sometimes the kids do make me crazy, but they're just kids and I love all of my students, all the time. That's true no matter their background, who they are, or what they've done. I have always wanted them to know that I love them and care about the individuals they are going to be first and foremost - I came to their classroom hoping to be a role model, as imperfect as I am. The world is bankrupt of goodness, and in kids, there is so much of hope. The day to day can get in the way and cloud this overall vision, which is the real reason anyone becomes a teacher at the end of the day, I suppose. I came as a teacher, but also as an adult they can love and trust - just someone they can have in their lives. I'm making memories I know I will look back and laugh at (and I hope they do, too). My first year of teaching has been very difficult, especially not having a mentor, but it has not been impossible.
I've learned a lot and adapted over the course of this year. There were many obstacles I had to overcome, obstacles I didn't know were ahead because of inexperience. This year has been so worth it. I have had parents thank me personally for everything that I do for their kids. I've had kids thank me for what I've done, I got Christmas presents from some of them, people I did not even know in September. It's been a very touching and very blessed adventure. Although I've had speed bumps in PR and figuring out what assessments work, the personality (and the names!) of the kids, and classroom management, I am not doing so badly. I have learned little practical things that will help me going forward put aside the management part and just have a classroom.
And yes, while I have felt the drama of the everyday moment, the bigger picture is much more blessed. At the end of the day, I am going to laugh because I know what I have done is influence the future. I have been trying my best to guide students not just on the way to academic success, but even more crucially, on the path of *human* success. These kids are not going to remember Latin at the end of the day, unless by some miracle someone wants to be a classicist; they might remember the class and they might remember some random tidbit here and there; however, they will remember how they felt in that class, even if they take nothing else away. I am a humanities teacher, and the humanities will ever remain useful because they teach us what it means to be HUMAN - not a machine. I have respect for every discipline, but over them all, I will always champion the humanities. As Aristotle would agree, the most impractical things are the most necessary.
Life is beautiful. My profession is beautiful. My students are beautiful and worthy. I just want them to know that.
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