Sigh.
I cannot believe how busy I've been over the last five weeks. How overwhelmed.
Teaching a 5/6 split class.
Might not sound like a lot, but umm, it is.
Two maths. Two social studies. Figuring out how to do two sciences.
Combining reading, writing and health. But not doing the same things as last year because I have sixth graders who were in my fifth grade class.
So... new writing prompts, new novel studies. Meeting the needs of all my students.
Cross country, too. Which I totally volunteered for. I love doing XC and track and going to the kids' sporting events. But, it takes time. And planning. And missed lunches.
Staff meetings, department head meetings, IEP meetings, camp meetings, parent meetings.
Getting my credits and clock hours completed and turned in on time. Hopefully I make it.
Feeling pressure from outside sources. Feeling a critical eye from the public. Sometimes feeling the need to defend myself. It's exhausting.
When, really, all I want to do is teach.
I want to teach students how to solve math problems and explain their thinking. I want to encourage students to read and to share my joy of good books with them. I want to conference with students about their writing and celebrate their use of quotation marks and word choice and sentence fluency. I want to teach them how to write lab reports and encourage them to ask questions. I want to motivate and push and listen and support and guide.
My students are great. They're kind, funny, well-behaved, helpful to one another, hard-working.
I've been blessed with a wonderful group of kids this year. I'm excited to see all they can accomplish, all we can do together.
I know I'm good at my job. I love working with ten and eleven year olds. It's a big responsibility, to be the teacher.
So, today I say a little prayer. For some extra energy. For patience. For guidance. For support.
And I head back into the classroom. And enjoy the random stories I'm sure I'll hear soon. And I'll laugh with them, celebrate them, guide them.
I'll teach them.
2 comments:
You are a gift to your students. You meet them where they are and take them to places they could not imagine. Your strength to battle the nagging issues and to always return to the classroom with optimism make you a truly outstanding teacher. You impress me each and every day.
i love you so much - you are such a wonderful teacher.
having public jobs is SO HARD.
so many people to please, when all we really want to do is teach our kiddos.
LOVE YOU!
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