I worked all last week, but I only had students for two days. It was a pretty long two days, but it went really well. The good news? The weekend seemed really long as well, so it all evened out.
This post is poorly organized, but I'm just jotting down some thoughts....so here goes!
In relation to school, I'm quickly getting used to teaching 9th and 10th vs. 10th, 11th, and 12th. The students are not as close in age, which is a good thing, and the material is actually enjoyable. The curriculum works hand-in-hand, at least in the beginning, so that helps. I only have two preps! This means my life is a bit more sane now. I still, however, have a new curriculum and therefore new lesson planning to do this year. In another few years, I'll probably have it all together?
Although I have new grades, it doesn't keep my students from last year from stopping by. On open house night, I had at least seven girls and guys stop by to say hello - maybe of who were seniors, so they didn't even have to be at the school! It was really special to me to see all of them again. This is the first year I've seen growth (seniors graduated, eleventh are now seniors), and it's a weird feeling. I already miss them.
Another student, who was an eleventh grader last year, brought his whole family to come meet me. His mother was jokingly concerned, knowing what a character he is, but I assured her of how appreciative I was of him in my class each day. He kept me laughing. I felt like I somehow made a difference, just by caring about this student.
I also have a number of students who stop by during the regular school day to see me. It makes the job seem worth while... it's like I'm actually making a difference in some way. The hardest part now is that I'm getting to see kids grow in a couple of years, and when they graduate this year, I'm really going to be sad! - and happy - all at the same time. They're like my kids now. They don't know how much they mean to me sometimes.
Being at a school longer than one year, and knowing that I might be there for years to come, has made me a more positive person overall. I realize that this is my job. The better I get at it now, the better I'll be in the long run. The happier I am about teaching English, the more the kids will appreciate it and learn. Let's just say that I'm trying to be more positive about work this year. I freaked out for a few days because all of my classes are 27 or 28 students. Turns out, it's really not so bad.
The only thing that makes it difficult is when I get anxious about teaching.. and when I get anxious, it makes me dread the next day. Turns out, getting worried never helps, and I always pull through, no matter what. So why worry? I've tried to put my energy into positive lesson-planning. It helps make the day seem more fun overall.
Justin started a new job at a new school this year, and he seems to be really positive so far. He has three geometry year-long classes. That's it! There are pros and cons in his situation. It's great because he only has ONE prep, which is a dream. It's also good because he gets to know the students all year... which means he could really connect with some of them. The bad side to this is that if he has any poorly behaved students (so far, he's okay!), he's "stuck" with them all year. So far, so good, though, so wish him luck! I'm really proud of him. His school is great for socializing. There's a huge amount of brand new teachers.
All in all, the year is off to a good start. I know there will be ups and downs, and I'll be stressed soon enough - mostly with grades - but I'm happy to share the positive feelings I have now! Hope you fellow teachers are off to a good start. It's going to be another year!
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