Back to School!
I figured this week would be as good as any to talk about school! I know, I know, I don't want to hear it either but I need to start psyching myself up for the upcoming year. I love to teach, but last year really took some of it out of me. I feel like this summer flew by, even more so than it normally does, and I can't believe I will be getting my classroom ready again soon. So, I am choosing to focus on some of the things that I am most looking forward too, because there is a lot that I have missed about being at school.
1. Students
I always miss the kids the most. I miss the relationships. I miss the small talk. I miss the jokes and the laughter. I miss the frustrations and the breakthroughs. I miss the day to day. Being a teacher really is about the students. To me, having a great student-teacher relationship is goal number one and is the one thing that I enjoy the most. I can't wait to see my kids!
2. My Friends!
I think one of the things that goes most unnoticed is the lack of seeing certain teacher friends during the summer. Summer hits and my mind immediately switches roles of teacher to full-time dad and everyone just gets busy. I am excited to see my teacher buddies way more often than I have this summer.
3. The Science!
I just can't wait to teach the science to students. I have so many lessons that I still get very excited about teaching because I know they work so well and they are very memorable for students. It gets me excited just thinking about the lead up and the execution of a good lesson plan. I can't wait to help kids move further to be more scientifically literate!
4. Improvement!
As with every year comes a deep reflection of the mistakes of the past. One of the greatest strengths as a teacher is how well they reflect. There are lots of things that I am reflecting on as I start to think about how I want my classroom culture to be this year. How can I get students of different ages to interact better? How can I help kids who fall behind and keep them moving on their learning journey? How can I continue to change over into standards based grading for all my classes to better evaluate student's skills and performance? How can I better communicate to parents the progress of their child? It is daunting but also very exciting to realize that you are about to get better as a teacher each year!
At the end of the summer, just like the beginning, there is such a mixed bag of emotions and unless you are a teacher, it is really hard to explain and understand. I am excited and nervous for my own kids to start their next journeys, but I know they will be in good hands. And I can't wait to see them and myself grow this year!
Dan