thoughts on teaching

(Disclaimer: Here I go being super-sentimental about the last day of school. You might want to skip this one if you're not into teaching.)

Proud to be a Raccoon - Summer 2006

Today was my last day at Reedy Creek. Only two years there, but they were my first two years of teaching! 360 days devoted to walking those halls and educating those children. Where the glamor of influencing young minds was dashed by the reality of classroom management, and then bolstered again by sweet students who care, and - finally - get it! Conflicting emotions - I've experienced more stresses and angst within those walls than any other building on earth. But tipping the scales to the positive are innumerable moments - small and large - that make Reedy Creek a special place to me.

There is nothing in the world like being a first year teacher. The whole teaching scene was much different than I had pictured it - even my student teaching situations were nothing like the reality of this school. I wondered if I was cut out for this environment - was it normal to cry (repeatedly) in the principal's office? Apparently I had a lot of learning to do, but fortunately there were teachers willing to share their lesson plans and management skills, and administrators willing to back me up and help me out. And I am so grateful!

While I dreaded the start of year 2, I am so glad I came back. This class allowed me to break away from the monotony of the pacing guide and do (gasp!) novel studies and math investigations, biography reports and random visits to the pigeon loft. I know my skills as a teacher have improved, in large part due to the people around me who volunteered their expert knowledge on everything. I'm going to miss working with a team next year when I'm the only teacher on the grade level.

So that is a mediocre explanation of why I felt the tears start to come as I walked out the door of that building. This school will always have a special significance, as the place of my first job, where I learned how to teach. (Look at the pictures - you can tell I grew up, huh?)

June 2008