Second, Fourth and Sixth

Hello there! Second grade here....

Wowza. I CANNOT believe it is already November 14th. It feels like just yesterday it was the beginning of September and I was feeling like November was light years away (which explains the lack of posts...most of the time I am choosing between sleep and posting/reading/watching tv). I can honestly say that at this point, I am proud of myself. I have made it past the point of survival, and into the stage of reflection. It is wonderful. Most of my thinking now is: "Is this effective?" "How can I make this better?" "Am I ACTUALLY differentiating?" "How can I simplify my planning so that it doesn't take me HOURS?" and....believe it or not..."How can I put parent volunteers to good use?" (which has been a big fear of mine...having parents WATCH me teach!) Even just that I am asking myself these questions is a good thing for me. A few weeks ago, it was more like "Am I doing this right?" or "How do I even teach Science?" I am so psyched that I am now able to reflect and put my energies into making this better, which in turn means I can assume that I have a good foundation, which I do. My classroom is a safe place for kids to come and open their minds to learning. They know that only kinds words are exchanged- that everyone makes mistakes and most are worth forgiving. They try their best and fully understand and respect that "easy" isn't the same to everyone. I show them respect and treat them the way I want them to treat me, themselves, and their peers...and they do! If I were in second grade, I would want to be in my room :)

Today, I am in a good place. I am loving teaching. It is still VERY hard and trying at times, but it feels like within my career of teaching, I have gotten over the first hump and it feels amazing. I have been rereading a favorite book of mine and am fully re-inspired to do good things in my classroom...to go beyond just the textbook and explore some good creative, fun, exciting lessons....lessons that you are supposed to think you can do when you are a first year teacher....lessons that make the veterans think about their overly zealous first year of teaching :)