and so it goes...

I am comfortable in my classroom(s).
I like the empty desks during my planning time knowing that they’ll soon be filled with students that I’ll have the opportunity to work with. I definitely have a lot to learn, but I can tell with barely any thought that this is what I want to be doing.

I have always (at least for the most part) enjoyed school…I’ve liked learning and often find various things fascinating – even outside of my own discipline. It always makes me laugh when people find out that I spend my days in the semi-out-of-control-universe of high school students and their “home turf” of their school. It’s easy for me. I find them completely endearing …I like the confident “I KNOW WHO I AM!” that many of them wear on their sleeve while harboring the “holy crap I’m afraid to be myself” in their little twisted up souls. Due to this – nothing is more rewarding for me than getting through to “that kid” who doesn’t respond well to other teachers or other people. I find myself trying to make a personal connection with each student – a challenge for sure, but something I think is quite important.
Students need adults to look up to who aren’t their parents and/or relatives. As teachers, I believe that we become a sort of safety net for the kids who need us.

Learning is a life-long process.
Learning to teach is an eternal process.

I am never going to be perfect in the classroom. No matter how hard I try, I will never reach every single kid…and that has to be okay. It is hard for me personally to make that okay, but somehow I have to remind myself that I will not be able to get through to every kid…for if I spend too much time focused in on one student, or a group of students I will miss far more.

That said - the biggest challenge to me is not the students, but the subject I chose to teach. I laugh every single time someone makes fun of me for teaching history… “couldn’t you teach something more interesting?” they say… “why would you ever want to teach THAT”. The answer is easy → I LOVE IT. I love the endless waves of people and stories that wrap the world up in timelines that cross and wind up and around themselves. However, the expanse of history makes it difficult at times to reach the students. With a bazillion choices of stories to share I have to process a number of them and try to figure out what is going to best reach my students. Plus, along with them I am always learning. I am always learning about history and my students and how to better give them a better education.

I am looking forward to the future with open arms and a big smile.