I can't believe that 168 school days have gone by and that in 12 more days I will be saying goodbye to my first class of students as a teacher. This year has been full of ups and downs, steps forwards and steps backwards, and moments of being pulled left and pulled right. As the year is wrapping up I got asked by a veteran teacher "what would you change about your year?" I had to really think about this question and I have to tell you that at first I came up with a laundry list of things. In fact, I thought of all of the following and some:
1. Plan better lessons
2. Take criticism as constructive only and nothing else
3. Don't care about what the students think about me
4. Worry less
5. Remember I am only one person
6. Drink less chocolate milk
7. Be more active in building activities
8. Don't teach one unit at a time
9. Teaching to student
The only problem with my list is that as quickly as those thoughts came into my mind they were refuted even quicker with much more realistic and positive thoughts. As I thought of everything and refuted each one I realized that I wouldn't change anything that happened this year. I wouldn't change being pinched by a student or having a door hit me in the head or being called a bitch or being yelled at or being told that I don't "really care about the students" or even that my lessons suck and I can't teach. It's funny because when I think of all those things and the laundry list of things above I think of the following:
1. Being told I can't teach made me teach even better
2. Being told I don't care about the students made me realize that I would actually lay my life down for any of them no matter what and would take them into my home if necessary
3. Being pinched taught me to not only react quicker but to become more proactive verses reactive
4. Being hit in the head made me realize I should never stand behind a closed door's edge. ;-)
5. I plan great lessons that allow me to teach to all students, across the curriculum, and to different learning styles
6. Taking criticism both constructively and non constructively can be beneficial and help me grow
7. Not all students are going to like me and that's okay, but do take how they feel to heart and see if their cares and concerns are legit.
8. Although worrying less is important, not worrying isn't possible
9. To the world I might only be one person, but to one student I might be their world
10. Never drink less chocolate milk, it's my coffee and the students love "surprising" me with one
11. Being active in building activities is great, but I won't take more time away from Ethan
12. There is nothing wrong with teaching one unit at a time and having the units build off of eachother. In fact, that's the best way to teach sometimes.
13. No matter what my scores might be teaching to the student is ALWAYS more important than teaching to the test!
I had an absolutely fantastic first year of teaching and despite the things that brought some dips in the year I wouldn't change a thing. I learned from every event, parent comment, student comment, teacher/administrator comment, and every mistake I made. I am in a job that I love and have found that I don't really go to work a day in my life any more. Instead, I go to a school where I am blessed to have daily adventures!
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