Y'all! I survived my first week! And it was amazing!!!
So much of the anxiety I felt in the week before I started the first week seems to have melted away. It feels amazing to be in front of students everyday. I love getting to know my students a little more everyday. The students they were are day one are certainly not the students they are today. The journey we embark on this year is going to be so much fun. There will certainly be struggling and challenging moments, for me and for them, but we will overcome and be better for it in the end.
I have also seen so many of my friends and peers start their teaching recently too. The impact that we will have on students collectively is so refreshing and encouraging. I know that we are all going to do our best for our students. We are all going to have great stories to laugh at, stories that bring tears of sadness and frustration, and stories that cause me to well up with pride for them and their students.
This excitement does not mean that there have not been challenges. Students all come with unique experiences that we have to fit into their academic success, not matter how difficult that is. I did not even "finish" setting up my classroom until last Friday, but I am constantly finding ways to make things better. Teaching is certainly a never ending cycle of try something, review it, improve it, and try again. Plus I forget or do not think about things all the time, so that makes the process move a little slower too.
Lesson planning has certainly been the most pressing hurdle so far. I am incredibly grateful that my plans are due on Friday because who knows how much time I would spend on them over the weekend. I feel compelled to work efficiently with this deadline and it keeps me ahead of "the day before" game. Observation season is the part of the year that I am most excited for. I can't wait for people to come into my classroom, point out the amazing things going on, help me figure out the things that could be better, and enjoy the space I have created in my classes.
The self-care portion of this work is certainly coming with mixed results. I really enjoyed this past weekend watching movies and relaxing. I cleaned my place up a bit. Cooked some great food for lunch and breakfast during the week. I got quite a bit of grading done as well. I do really need to get back into working out in some capacity. Even if it's just for thirty minutes a day instead of an hour. I just need the activity. I just get tired from the day and it's challenging to get back into it when I've been out of the habit for so long. It will happen though. I just have to make it happen.
I am feeling legitimately excited for this year. I love my school. I love my kids. I love my team. I don't mean to rub it in, but I am feeling great! Let's keep up these good vibes.
So much of the anxiety I felt in the week before I started the first week seems to have melted away. It feels amazing to be in front of students everyday. I love getting to know my students a little more everyday. The students they were are day one are certainly not the students they are today. The journey we embark on this year is going to be so much fun. There will certainly be struggling and challenging moments, for me and for them, but we will overcome and be better for it in the end.
I have also seen so many of my friends and peers start their teaching recently too. The impact that we will have on students collectively is so refreshing and encouraging. I know that we are all going to do our best for our students. We are all going to have great stories to laugh at, stories that bring tears of sadness and frustration, and stories that cause me to well up with pride for them and their students.
This excitement does not mean that there have not been challenges. Students all come with unique experiences that we have to fit into their academic success, not matter how difficult that is. I did not even "finish" setting up my classroom until last Friday, but I am constantly finding ways to make things better. Teaching is certainly a never ending cycle of try something, review it, improve it, and try again. Plus I forget or do not think about things all the time, so that makes the process move a little slower too.
Lesson planning has certainly been the most pressing hurdle so far. I am incredibly grateful that my plans are due on Friday because who knows how much time I would spend on them over the weekend. I feel compelled to work efficiently with this deadline and it keeps me ahead of "the day before" game. Observation season is the part of the year that I am most excited for. I can't wait for people to come into my classroom, point out the amazing things going on, help me figure out the things that could be better, and enjoy the space I have created in my classes.
The self-care portion of this work is certainly coming with mixed results. I really enjoyed this past weekend watching movies and relaxing. I cleaned my place up a bit. Cooked some great food for lunch and breakfast during the week. I got quite a bit of grading done as well. I do really need to get back into working out in some capacity. Even if it's just for thirty minutes a day instead of an hour. I just need the activity. I just get tired from the day and it's challenging to get back into it when I've been out of the habit for so long. It will happen though. I just have to make it happen.
I am feeling legitimately excited for this year. I love my school. I love my kids. I love my team. I don't mean to rub it in, but I am feeling great! Let's keep up these good vibes.
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