End of year...2 continued

As I read over my last post, I realized a few paragraphs didn't do my first two years of teaching justice.  I have so many memories, so many lessons learned, so many mistakes made, so many fantastic students, so many things to change in the future. I don't really like to dwell on the negative, instead I like to turn difficult situations into learning experiences (yeah, yeah that's the nerdy teacher in me!).

Here are the 3 biggest things I've learned since starting teaching:

1. Be flexible

     During the typical school week there are so many things that are bound to pop up where teachers have to be ready to adapt and change their lessons whether it be a fire drill, an assembly, meetings, lock down and the list goes on.  I have learned it is inevitable that at some point your 1st period class is going to be at a totally different place in the curriculum compared to your 7th period class.  I have built up a large repertoire of games, partner activities and speaking practice that reinforce the current vocabulary or grammar, but can be adapted to take 5 minutes or a whole class period.  

2. Get involved outside the classroom

     As a first year teacher, I definitely experienced many an evening of feeling overwhelmed with so much to do, but just feeling too exhausted to do anything but lay on the couch with my cat.  So then why I am I saying to take on even more??? I must be a little loca, right?  Nope.  Since becoming a coach, joining committees, serving as club advisor and generally getting a better feel for my school's community, I really feel like I have become a better teacher.  I love seeing my students outside of the classroom because it usually means they are doing something they enjoy and are passionate about, whether it be music, sports, drama, pep club or whatever!  I get exposure to their families, their friends, and I can take those experiences back to my classroom.  If I want a student to speak Spanish, why not talk about something they can actually relate to and enjoy discussing? Getting home a few nights a week after 10 pm and heading back at 6:20 the next morning seems nuts, but its worth it.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for help

     My first week of school was a whirlwind. Where was the copy machine?  What time does first period end?  Where are my textbooks?  Where is the teacher's lunchroom?  How am I going to learn all these teachers' AND kids' names?  The list went on and on.  I quickly realized that my fellow coworkers were a valuable asset to surviving as a first (or second) year teacher.  That being said, I think it is also important to mention that it is a good idea to also do a lot of listening as a new teacher.  You hear different perspectives on teaching; you can tell who the gossipers are; you learn what the "cliques" of teachers are (Let's be honest, the workforce can be just as fantastic as middle school was!); and you generally just get an awareness of the atmosphere of the school.  So asking questions is vital, but listening can be just as advantageous.

So much reflection, that I'm probably boring you to lagrimas (tears!).  Look forward to some posts coming up about specific goals for the upcoming year, teaching tips, fun classroom ideas and so on!

¡Hasta la próxima entrada de blog!