Every year it never fails, I get the teaching blues. Each year I begin optimistic and enthusiastic that this year will be different than last year and it seldom is the case. I have all these ideas and desires from a summer of teaching conferences and professional learning and I am ready to implement and start the process and reality rarely lives up to the expectations or the desired effects one initially is hoping for on the outset.
It's during this time where reflecting on my teaching becomes increasingly important. My new reading program seems to be working as students come to class prepared to read and they're talking about books which is an improvement from last year. My 9th grade classes are reading lengthy, challenging texts that in years past I may have avoided like the plague, but they are reading. We practice concepts like tone and mood. We've been examining author's craft, text types and their structures. They've been writing a bit which I want to increase the volume substantially, just trying to figure out the logistics. Almost all of my students are using the chrome books provided by the district and teaching each other how to use certain tools along the way. I hear the grumblings of the students "This is really hard" "Can't we just use paper?" and the modern era's version of "dog ate my homework" "My internet was down." Listening to them complain is not fun but it does give me feedback for trying the process a different way. Teaching AP Language and Composition is not for the meek and I have developed a greater respect for the people who teach this course. I've had a difficult start with transitioning my Honors courses up to AP and including new students in the mix as well, but I'm starting to find my stride with the course and that's always a good feeling when teaching a new course. I'm grateful to have friends who teach the course and one friend in particular has been extremely giving of her time and resources to help me figure out this beast. So, maybe not everything is exactly as I would like it to be given the amount of time we've been in session this year but at least I'm still trying new methods and the students are figuring out my expectations and how to meet them. I cannot really ask for more than that. As my former basketball coach used to say, "The biggest room in the house is the room for improvement."
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AuthorMy name is Sarah Todd and I teach freshmen and junior English in Southern California. Archives
August 2018
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