Writing today was very necessary.
I have been trying to unpack everything from the last few days with little success. They say that time flies when you're having fun. What they don't tell you is that time also flies when you are juggling a million and one things and all you really want it to do is stop, or at least slow down. Some of the challenges of the past few days I knew were coming. That being said, I did not prepare for all them.
I prepared for the rush of the school. I am familiar with the prep work that happens between greeting students, meeting with this person here and another person of there, double and triple checking your PowerPoint and lesson notes, rehearsing this line or that line, glancing at the information from the day before and peeking at the day ahead, all the while wearing a smile and really listening to the answer when you ask "How was your day?"
I was prepared for the awkward first days of school when students are still figuring out who the person standing in front of them is and what role they will play in their life. I was not the student that was ready to share my life story, an answer, or anything else until I had been in class for at least two weeks. I was not (I am improving but I still have a lot of growth to do) the best at introducing myself and making friends in a room full of strangers. Trust and familiarity take time to build and I am okay with waiting and nudging my students and myself along until we get to that point of relative comfort with one another.
I did not prepare for how to deal with blatant profanity in the classroom. When I found out I would be teaching high school students, I knew that I would be called a "faggot" at least once before the summer was over. Typing the word is hard, but having it thrown at you as a slur is much harder. This is not the first time I have been on the receiving end of such profanity. That does not make it sting any less. The fact that it came from a student who still have much to learn about the world did not make it sting any less. The moment of triumph came when I maintained a straight face and neutral attitude. The moment of triumph came when I spoke about respecting the emotional space we all occupy in a classroom. The moment of triumph came again today when I hit the reset button and walked into class fresh, whole, and unbothered by the day before.
Teaching is not easy. Teaching is intensely personal. The most difficult part comes when the comments from others feel like a personal attack on your work, your art, your craft, your profession, your career. I know that maintaining a poker face will not always be so easy. I know there will be times when comments feel like a punch to the gut. There is no way to truly prepare myself to for every possibility, but I do know that I can open my mind, my heart, and my spirit. I can let down my walls and remember that I am doing my best. I know that I am not perfect and I have a lot to learn, but know that I am trying.
These days did not come only with obstacles to be overcome. There were great moments as well. I spent an entire day enjoying Dallas. Driving around, exploring neighborhoods, visiting the Dallas Museum of Art, and genuinely enjoying the day with my friend. It was amazing and I am looking forward to so many incredible weekends. In fact, Friday will be the start of what is sure to be a restful four day weekend. So these past few days have been busy, and tough, but they've been refreshing as well.
There is one thing that stands out as the pinnacle of great news since. On Monday morning, I began my fourth interview since starting with Teach For America. The first part of this interview was a phone call that took place an hour before my first lesson. My conversation with this principal left me thrilled and full of energy. I went into my classroom feeling like I could teach the world. After dinner, I took some time to FaceTime this principal to continue our conversation. I was then able to speak with the Assistant Principal a few hours later and learn more about the school and just spend time getting to know the administrators on campus. An hour after the completion of this conversation, I received a call from the principal again. I walked down the hall and braced myself for the news.
I am now absolutely thrilled to announce that this fall, I will be the 5th grade science teacher at Eastern Hills Elementary School in Fort Worth Independent School District. I have been a bit anxious completing interviews and waiting for responses but that weight has officially been lifted. I am so excited and I cannot wait to meet my students and my team in a few weeks! I must say thank you to all the people that have helped me get to this point in my journey. I couldn't possibly name everyone in one post, but know that I appreciate everything you have done for me up to this point. I am grateful and I will continue to do my best as a way to honor your contributions to my success.
Now, I get to tour apartments and figure out where I will be living in just a few short weeks! If anyone has any advice on questions I should ask while on tours, please let me know. I want to make sure I am moving in a great place so any experience you could share would be quite helpful! It's been a busy week, but I am ready to keep moving forward.
I have been trying to unpack everything from the last few days with little success. They say that time flies when you're having fun. What they don't tell you is that time also flies when you are juggling a million and one things and all you really want it to do is stop, or at least slow down. Some of the challenges of the past few days I knew were coming. That being said, I did not prepare for all them.
I prepared for the rush of the school. I am familiar with the prep work that happens between greeting students, meeting with this person here and another person of there, double and triple checking your PowerPoint and lesson notes, rehearsing this line or that line, glancing at the information from the day before and peeking at the day ahead, all the while wearing a smile and really listening to the answer when you ask "How was your day?"
I was prepared for the awkward first days of school when students are still figuring out who the person standing in front of them is and what role they will play in their life. I was not the student that was ready to share my life story, an answer, or anything else until I had been in class for at least two weeks. I was not (I am improving but I still have a lot of growth to do) the best at introducing myself and making friends in a room full of strangers. Trust and familiarity take time to build and I am okay with waiting and nudging my students and myself along until we get to that point of relative comfort with one another.
I did not prepare for how to deal with blatant profanity in the classroom. When I found out I would be teaching high school students, I knew that I would be called a "faggot" at least once before the summer was over. Typing the word is hard, but having it thrown at you as a slur is much harder. This is not the first time I have been on the receiving end of such profanity. That does not make it sting any less. The fact that it came from a student who still have much to learn about the world did not make it sting any less. The moment of triumph came when I maintained a straight face and neutral attitude. The moment of triumph came when I spoke about respecting the emotional space we all occupy in a classroom. The moment of triumph came again today when I hit the reset button and walked into class fresh, whole, and unbothered by the day before.
Teaching is not easy. Teaching is intensely personal. The most difficult part comes when the comments from others feel like a personal attack on your work, your art, your craft, your profession, your career. I know that maintaining a poker face will not always be so easy. I know there will be times when comments feel like a punch to the gut. There is no way to truly prepare myself to for every possibility, but I do know that I can open my mind, my heart, and my spirit. I can let down my walls and remember that I am doing my best. I know that I am not perfect and I have a lot to learn, but know that I am trying.
These days did not come only with obstacles to be overcome. There were great moments as well. I spent an entire day enjoying Dallas. Driving around, exploring neighborhoods, visiting the Dallas Museum of Art, and genuinely enjoying the day with my friend. It was amazing and I am looking forward to so many incredible weekends. In fact, Friday will be the start of what is sure to be a restful four day weekend. So these past few days have been busy, and tough, but they've been refreshing as well.
There is one thing that stands out as the pinnacle of great news since. On Monday morning, I began my fourth interview since starting with Teach For America. The first part of this interview was a phone call that took place an hour before my first lesson. My conversation with this principal left me thrilled and full of energy. I went into my classroom feeling like I could teach the world. After dinner, I took some time to FaceTime this principal to continue our conversation. I was then able to speak with the Assistant Principal a few hours later and learn more about the school and just spend time getting to know the administrators on campus. An hour after the completion of this conversation, I received a call from the principal again. I walked down the hall and braced myself for the news.
I am now absolutely thrilled to announce that this fall, I will be the 5th grade science teacher at Eastern Hills Elementary School in Fort Worth Independent School District. I have been a bit anxious completing interviews and waiting for responses but that weight has officially been lifted. I am so excited and I cannot wait to meet my students and my team in a few weeks! I must say thank you to all the people that have helped me get to this point in my journey. I couldn't possibly name everyone in one post, but know that I appreciate everything you have done for me up to this point. I am grateful and I will continue to do my best as a way to honor your contributions to my success.
Now, I get to tour apartments and figure out where I will be living in just a few short weeks! If anyone has any advice on questions I should ask while on tours, please let me know. I want to make sure I am moving in a great place so any experience you could share would be quite helpful! It's been a busy week, but I am ready to keep moving forward.
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