First Week Back: Are things finally looking up?

I apologize for my lack of entries over the past several months. There is not really an excuse other than the “1st Year Teacher Emotions Chart” clearly articulated the way I was feeling through most of November and December- solidly in the “Disillusionment Stage” and at the bottom of the roller coaster. As the weather started getting colder, kids got crazier, graduate school started finals, and the 7th grade curriculum got harder… I didn’t really want to bring anyone done with tails of teaching woes, because, truthfully, compared to all the junk that goes on in my student’s lives, my situation is a cake walk. So… I chose to wait until I had some positive things to say, and I think that I can begin “blogging” again.

It is now 2009, and I have officially made it through my first full week of school. To be perfectly honest, after 10 days in Indiana with friends, family, and plenty of rest, I was not necessarily looking forward to heading back to school… dreading may be a more appropriate word. However, while this week was plenty of crazy, there were some wins. According to the aforementioned chart, I am in the “rejuvenation” stage of teaching, and it may be the lack of graduate school or the nice sleep bank that I created for myself over break, but I really enjoyed the past week.

At least with my advisory (but also in my other two classes), I have started to form relationships with a number of the students and there are more moments than not that they actually listen to me (or look like they are). Even the days that my team teacher was absent, class went on and students (at least a couple of them), learned the material. I have really enjoyed spending time with the students after school- hearing about their lives and listening to the ever-entertaining 7th grade gossip. Rumor has it that one student even said that I was “cool” last week, which has yet to happen… ever.

AND with graduate school not starting until the 26th, I have been able to spend some time with my roommates and friends eating real dinners NOT purchased at Dunkin Donuts on the way to night classes at Lehman College : )

I don’t know how long this upward climb will continue being, well, upward; however, the next couple of weeks will hopefully give me enough time to get ahead, spend more time with my kids, and get back in the swing-of-things before I start the first real math class I have taken since 2004…

I hope everyone else’s holiday season was filled with good food, friends, family and some much-needed rest. I wish you all a very happy new year and look forward to talking to you soon.

Much love,
Ms. Newton

PS: My New Year’s Resolution was to write an entry a week- please give me a hard time if I don’t.