Teacher Talk

Today I realized something.
Exactly a year ago (well not exactly because a year ago today was a snow day) I started student teaching.

I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't extremely nervous beforehand.
Honestly, my anxiety was so bad those first three days that I threw up and almost didn't go in.
But I went.

And I LOVED it.

I fell in love with my first placement -- the school, the staff, the kids...

Now here I am, one year later, in the same school, with the same staff, the same kids, and even in the same room(!) as when I student taught.
I'm halfway through my first year as a teacher and it's everything I'd ever dreamed it'd be and everything I never thought it'd be.

So, to wrap it up (and I like lists) here's 5 things I've learned in my first (half) year teaching and 5 things I still really want to learn.

5 Things I've Learned

1. You WILL make mistakes.
I've yet to have a lesson go completely 100% smoothly.

And you know what?

I've learned THAT'S OKAY.

The kids don't even notice half the time anyway.

2. You will shy away from your lesson plan (if you write one).

Half the time I don't even write lesson plans anymore (Good-bye college!),

But when I do, I don't follow them completely.

I don't even follow the ones in my head.

Sometimes it just comes down to "Do they really need to understand this vocabulary word they'll never use?" or "Do they need to learn the difference between these two concepts that they'll use almost every day for the rest of their lives?"

I pick the second.

3. Sub plans SUCK.

Seriously, I hate writing sub plans.

I feel like I'm TOO detailed. 

But I want them to understand what I want the kids to do, right?

4. You won't always know what to say.

Kids will cry.

Kids will act out.

Kids will hide in themselves and not want to come out.

And sometimes, you won't know what to say.

That's probably okay too.

We are human after all.

5. Time goes quickly.

Seriously?!

I'm halfway through my first year!

5 Things I Want To Learn

1. When do you speak up with ideas and when do you just let tradition keep going?

2. Will I eventually stop feeling like I'm not good enough?

3. Does planning get easier? 

4. Do I get more motivation?

5. How do I become a morning person?!