Starting my fourth year at Dearborn High, and my twelfth year of teaching overall, I’m struck by a surreal sense of je ne sais quoi.<\/p>\n
No two years of my teaching career have ever been alike. I’ve learned that control is an illusion, and that all we can do is the best we can with what we have.<\/p>\n
I remember early in my career, my principal sharing that it’s important to be flexible – that you can count on things going awry, more so than you can count on things going perfectly planned.<\/p>\n
I experienced just that this past week. The week started with picture day – I wore a well-received new outfit (my feet were screaming by the end of the hour). I managed to get my hands on some chromebooks, so my students were able to finish an assignment on Google Classroom.<\/p>\n
Then, in the middle of third hour, all the passwords automatically reset. A district decision, students had to wait until fourth hour to get their new passwords. Poor IT Dept – I called so many times. Thanks to Troy, Chris, and Shane for being so patient with me.<\/p>\n
For only the second time in my career, I am teaching the same thing all day. My first year of teaching – I taught 8th grade Language Arts all day. By the time the last hour came around,I was frayed. I had a tough class – fourteen girls, and four boys. I have three words for you: middle-school girls.<\/p>\n
I remember thinking, I just need to make it to year three, then year five – cause all new teachers are familiar with the alarming statistic that half of all new teachers leave the profession before their fifth year. I can’t help but wonder what the statistic states now – I can’t imagine it’s favorable given the teacher shortage we are experiencing.<\/p>\n
Long story longer, this is currently my sixth year of being back in Michigan (after teaching in Kansas). At the end of this year, I’d have been home for as long as I was gone. Surreal.<\/p>\n
I have been thinking of Kansas a lot lately. Maybe because autumn is my favorite season? I don’t know.<\/p>\n
This past summer was my first summer without a job – in the past I used to work a secretarial gig, or summer school. To be honest, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Luckily I had some familial obligations which took me out of state – my sister’s graduation from her surgical residency program in NOLA, and my brother-in-law’s graduation from his surgical residency program in Biloxi. And who can forget my god-daughter’s carnival themed third birthday party in Alexandria?<\/p>\n
I didn’t spend as much time at the pool as I’d have liked to. I didn’t read as many books as I’d have liked to either (but I also didn’t sit in front of the TV all day).<\/p>\n
Blink – and the summer was over.<\/p>\n
Friday marked the first full week of school – which coincidentally was Friday the 13th AND a full moon. Good news – I survived. Sort of. This blog entry is being composed on my couch, under a comforter, as I ward off chills from my first cold of the season.<\/p>\n
Every one likes to ask how the new school year is going – and the truth is, it’s going well. I love my job. I love the culture and community the students and I create in our classroom. I love my former students stopping by to visit. I love working with my team to do what’s best for our students.<\/p>\n
The NEW challenges I am working on tackling this year are:
\n> Standards Based Grading
\n> Differentiating to support ALL students in my classroom<\/p>\n
I think even though I didn’t have a job this summer, I did work – I worked on myself. Being more mindful and more present is what’s best for ME and for my students.<\/p>\n
Happy 2019-2020 School Year everyone – let’s make this happen!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Starting my fourth year at Dearborn High, and my twelfth year of teaching overall, I’m struck by a surreal sense of je ne sais quoi.…<\/p>\n