Clara's Chalkboard

amiteachingyet:

savytrufle:

Please there me that I am not the only one that has taken a bathroom break just for somewhere to cry. That I am not the only one who comes home crying. Who feels like the other teachers are looking at me thinking “how in the world did she get a degree in this”. Who is wondering…

I feel this right now in so many ways.

savytrufle:

Please there me that I am not the only one that has taken a bathroom break just for somewhere to cry. That I am not the only one who comes home crying. Who feels like the other teachers are looking at me thinking “how in the world did she get a degree in this”. Who is wondering…

I don’t know a single first year teacher who hasn’t felt this overwhelmed and insecure at some point. In a lot of ways, hitting the classroom full-time for the first time after rounds is like diving blind into the deep end - the basic concepts are familiar, but practicing them can feel awkward and make us second-guess each step. It takes time to adapt them so they work for us, opportunities and supportive people to rally round us with ideas and encouragement while we try different things and make mistakes until we develop the confidence to recognize that we are competent and what we are doing is effective - not everything will be, but education is a dual process and teaching is a constant learning curve. In Australia, the government provides a mentorship program for new graduates to join during their first year. They get paired up with an experienced teacher in the general area who meets with them every couple of months and is available to contact for support, encouragement, ideas, queries, etc. at any time. Mine has been my rock - an angel who held my hand while I moaned, shared her wisdom and experience when I was tearing my hair out, got me to focus on all I was doing well and to recognise my achievements. But for her, I may have spent the whole year feeling lost and alone. I cannot recommend this experience enough, or the importance of a strong professional network - you are not alone in this and being involved in one will enable you to exchange stories with others who have been, or are still going through, similar things. As for parents, though it’s hard, try not to take their actions to heart - they’re often just projecting their own fears and insecurities. Focus on the good that you do - the rich conversations, moments of laughter, engagement and smiles. In time, you’ll have evidence of the efficacy of your teaching that will stave off the faithless and keep you buoyant in the face of negativity. I wish you all the very best with this. Tomorrow is a new day. Happy teaching.

watchmeteachwatchmelearn:

Friends, I’m working on a unit on apples for my kiddos to go along with my requirements as well as the school’s chosen theme. I’ve got some ideas for different content areas, but I’d love to hear yours!

*Apple Stamping with Cut Open Apples

*Seed Investigation:…

Cut an apple in half horizontally (not through the stem side) and keep it out of sight. Ask them to imagine a red/green/yellow (whatever the colour of the apple is) house - it is round, white inside, has a star (the core when it is cut) and a ladder in the middle, and sometimes a small creature might live inside it. Have them think about this and see if they can guess what this ‘house’ might be and who might live in it. Then produce the halved apple and let them pass the pieces around, examining them to identify the star and connect the clues and the inhabitant. This can be extended on in so many ways.