This would be my 12th year teaching school, but technically with the half year I taught and moved etc. I guess it is my 11th. I can't believe that I have been teaching for that long. To some of you, it may not sound long....but I remember student teaching with Elaine Hyatt, as a bright eyed and eager college student. She had been teaching for 10 years, and that seemed like a very long time to me then. I started teaching in Orem Utah at a little school called Sharon Elementary. It was an amazing place to work. I had the very best friends in my coworkers. Many were single and my age, so we would hang out outside of school and do lots of things. Some days I really miss it. It is ironic that I was so eager for that time to pass, to get married and leave my little school. But there are days when I miss it! Why is it that we never really appreciate something until it is gone?
This year has already been a challenge for me. For the first time in my teaching career, I have felt helpless to know how to help a couple students. All of a sudden I find myself with two students in my class that I just don't know how to reach. Yesterday was a particularly hard day because one of these students refused to leave my classroom. The principal has been called in on more than one occasion, but yesterday was particularly dramatic. We had to "evacuate" my classroom to another room and try to have a normal afternoon until the principal was able to eventually coax the student from my classroom. I am exhausted...
I keep reminding myself that it is the beginning of the school year, and that things will get better..won't they??
It's odd, but I found great joy in the fact that today was the first day of September. I have decided that I HATE August, especially in Arizona. It's hot. It's muggy and sticky. And the first days of school are sooo long. Here's to hoping that my September runs smoother than August. Before I end this post, I must include a sentence about the BEAST aka Nathan, who has been wonderful supportive and patient through all of my recent crankiness.
OMG i cannot believe you taught at Sharon- what a small world. I used to attend Kindergarten through fifth grade there! What grade are you teaching? I hope things get easier- I remember a few students, one in particular, his name was Scott, who had a very similar experience to what you are speaking of. It took 4 teachers to pick him up and extricate him from the class room. He had a foul mouth, and was a very angry child from what I remember. I am sure something was going on in his home life that made him react that way. I pray for you for guidance in how to help your students, and that you will be able to be comforted and blessed with peace. Best of luck and lots of love~ ♥ Heidi
ReplyDeletebtw do they still do the dance festival up there? I so miss that at the schools here. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the dance festival is still there. That is so awesome that you went there. The school has been updated and they have added new classrooms and a large cafeteria. They still hold the dance festival at the park behind the school. Linda Liljegren taught 1st grade there for a long time, do you remember if she was there when you were?
ReplyDeleteI don't remember her, I do remember the school song though, I remember some guy wrote it and taught it to us when I went there! I remember Mrs. Baldwin (2nd Grade), Mrs. Miners (kindergarten) Mrs Barker (1st grade) but those are the only teachers that I really remember.
ReplyDeleteLOL Seagulls, we're soaring like seagulls, over the misty sky we fly.... we'll reach new heights as on we go, we're the seagulls of Sharon SCHOOL!!!! lol