Yes, I have come back from the dead! I apologize for taking such a long hiatus. Starting my first year of teaching has seriously hit me like a ton of bricks. It's been really time consuming and just as exhausting as I dreaded it to be. It's not only lots of work during school hours, but also at home. I barely get to come home, relax, and spend time with hubby! :(
I'm hoping that I will soon fall into a routine that will allow me more free time at home. What I have learned so far from just my first 2 full weeks of teaching:
1. Kids today are SERIOUSLY not the same as past generations. This isn't one of those comments that your grandparents made like, "Oh, back in my day...." despite sounding like one. Children today are very different. They have access to way more than we ever did in our youth, which is simultaneously beneficial and harmful.Their perspective of the world can become too complex for their maturity level based on what they learn from unfiltered media. Does this mean children should be brought up in a bubble? Absolutely not! But there should be some progression to them obtaining knowledge about specific things. They are also generally more daring, vocal, and repelled by authority and traditional education, i.e. lecturing, note-taking, obeying classroom rules, and doing anything non-technological or hands-on. And yes, most children by nature have never really liked those things, but in the past have felt much more obligated to follow directions regardless of liking it or not. This tells me education needs to take a new direction.
2. Just because someone is a certain age doesn't mean they are an "adult." Plenty of "adults" I have encountered do not live up to adult expectations, i.e. being professional, caring, ethical, and just. We expect certain behavior from people based on age, and I think that leaves us feeling frustrated and confused. Some people, despite years of experience, don't learn how to be kind or fair to others or even themselves.... And some young people will leave us happily surprised with their maturity, which is always wonderful!
3. Being a teacher requires an excellent sense of balance. You need to know how to balance the energy of a classroom (having fun but also learning), your home life (lesson-planning/grading but also unwinding), and your relationships with colleagues (being respectful of one another despite having differing teaching styles and opinions). All aspects of the profession require you to constantly monitor your behavior and how you prioritize your responsibilities. This is just a good skill to have in any profession.
4. Caring TOO much makes you TOO vulnerable. This is an extension of #3. As a teacher you want nothing but the best for every one of your students and for them to succeed. However, we can only do so much and the child has to meet you halfway. Leaving yourself too emotionally involved isn't healthy and can often leave you feeling disappointed and cynical. Your expectations will not always be the same as theirs. Teaching is a job and as much as it involves being a passionate individual, it is still just a job.
5. Being considered a "good" teacher is so variant depending on who is doing the judging. Trying to prove to others that you are "effective" at what you do is dangerous to your skill. It will most likely render you "ineffective" because you're no longer enjoying what you do, but instead are constantly evaluating yourself using another person's scale. If you leave your class feeling like you did the best job you could possibly do, were fair to every student in the classroom, and also enjoyed what you did for at least 70% of your day then you can go home knowing you are a "good" teacher. People expect too much from teachers and wearing yourself thin does not prove anything to anyone.
Those are just 5 of the many things I have learned so far, and I know plenty more are to follow. I have already been on such a roller coaster ride of highs and lows that I can understand so clearly why teachers are some of the most caring, stressed-out, and intelligent people I know. Anyone who really believes teaching is an easy profession is truly ignorant to the reality of it all. The courage that it takes to guide another human's future and hope that he or she follows that course that you set before them is immense. And crazily enough, I am almost positive teaching takes about only 30% of the courage it takes to be a parent.
I know I haven't updated much about Connor's side of things. I felt it necessary to spare a post on what is eating up most of my life (and to be fair now half of his life also). Connor is a great team player and listens to all of my rants and helps me cook and clean up after I'm worn out from my day. I'm so incredibly thankful to have him as a husband and best friend. He's been doing such a great job with balancing school and our life at home together. We make sure to eat dinner together every day and have an hour after dinner to just unwind on the couch. That's my favorite part of the day. :)
On a really happy note... Fall is almost here! So looking forward to apple and pumpkin picking and baking lots of pies!
Love,
Mandy
