Another question for the veteran teachers!!!

[KarenB]

Well, my first year of teaching is flying by! I can't believe that September is nearing the end. It will soon be time to fill in my first round of report cards and parent teacher conferences.

I am really having a great time, but sometimes I feel bad because I know a lesson could have gone much better. I am constantly writing down ideas to improve it for next year......but I feel bad for the students that didn't get my best ideas this first year!! Is this normal?????

Also, do you ever have a day where you feel almost "blah" at the end or that the day just didn't go very well? I feel as though I was constantly disciplining and not teaching today!!

Thanks for allowing me to vent and ask questions!!
Karen

 

[jamsmom]

I no longer teach (although I may be again next year) and one reason I left was because there were too many days that I did not feel like I got to teach as much as I should have been able to due to all the discipline going on! When a student tells you "I am not doing the work and you can't make me".....it does not set well. What is really sad, he was correct! At that time, that district moved students along and allowed for NO retention.

I am so glad that you are enjoying teaching and hope that if I go back into teaching that my pasion for it comes back. I am sure you are doing a wonderul job!

 

[mickey65]

I have days like that too. Today was one of them actually. It started out with locking my keys in my car...with all my stuff for the day in there! I had the test they were suppose to be having, all the materials for the day....just everything! ( I had to wait till the end of the day for the tow truck to come...don't ask why..grrr) So, we had to wing it, and the kids knew it was an off balance day and some of them took advantage of it! I was glad to see the day come to an end, but one of my kids reminded me of something I said the first day of school....if we have a not so good day, tomorrow is a new and fresh day.....so I went home with that thought in mind...tomorrow is a fresh day

 

[Sandy51]

Hang in there-sometimes the days that you have to "wing it" turn into great success stories. There have been times when I felt like a concept wasn't working and just completely changed gears with it. A fresh approach can be a good thing. Good luck!

Sandy

 

[Sonya]

I do this every year, and this is my 9th. I figure I always reteach/review things anyway, so if they didn't get it today then maybe tomorrow. The world will not end nor will the kids go hungry just beacuse I did a poor job of teaching verbs. As for the dicipline, I just blame it on the full moon, whether there is one or not. Some days are harder than others! But it does get better, and you will do a great job!

 

[Tinkbell]

It is very normal to feel this way. It gets easier over the years. When I first started, I felt like a failure if I couldn't get through everything I had planned in my plan book each day. I've since learned take things at the children's pace and not obsess over time limits. As for discipline, it's just part of teaching. Even the best teachers have to stop lessons to discipline and keep order in the classroom. Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself!

 

[isyne4u]

ITA with everyone here. I want to add that I think all good teachers constantly think of ways to improve their teaching and their lessons. I've been at it 11 years now and even if it something I have taught for several years, I still think "Oh I should have done this or that" Don't feel bad that YOU think you didn't give them the best, b/c you probably did a great job and more got something out of it than you thought.

This year I'm doing a totally new English program (I'm special ed hearing impaired so I have more latitude in what I teach than my reg. ed. peers, however, I have to create everything I do...with that said) and every day I sit down and look over what I did and come up with something I could do the next time. Wether it was using the post it notes differently for "making connections" or for coming up with a better journal topic.

Relax and continue to enjoy your days!

Oh, I have a funny discipline story. The other day one of my students was really not focusing, he is the only 6th grade ss student in a 7th grade ss class, so he works with my assisstant when I'm with the whole group (he also has some hearing and talks as well as signs). Well this day he was more like chatty cathy than I had seen him in the last 3 weeks. I told him repeatedly to stop talking, to focus, to be quiet, finally I had had it and I hollered "(name) THAT'S ONE!" You know that line parents use when they are counting to 3. Well, he snapped that head around, grabbed his book, and started reading. I had never seen him move so fast! My assisstant and I were trying desparately not to laugh. I knew by his reaction that mom did the same thing with him at home. Now I know what to do when he really gets out of hand.

Good luck to you!!
tara

ps. I teach sp. ed. and with out spell check I'm a lousy speller so please forgive my errors!!

 

[J&D]

Yes, those feelings are VERY NORMAL!

I am constantly writing down ideas to improve it for next year.

It sounds like you are already on your way to becoming a great veteran teacher! Keep up the good work!

Just be aware that the next few months (Oct.- Dec.) are often the hardest months for teachers (new and experienced) to get through. During these months we start to come down from the high of a new school year and move into survival mode. Hang in there during those rough few months, and things will start to get much better around February.

 

[KarenB]

Thanks for all your replies!!

J&D-I am glad you gave me a "heads up" about October - December. Someone told me that we work untill Christmas to get our classroom running the way we want it.....then we count down the days untill school os out!!!

I also try to run my classroom by thinking about my own children which are 13 and 15. I know from them that afternoons are a hard time to stay focused and I might as well forget about the last 30 minutes of a Friday afternoon. I know they are tired and need a break just as I do. I also try to think what made my children happy, concerned, nervous, and excited and use that in the classroom.

Tara-Here is a story to share......I have a system where children can earn points by good behavior, doing something nice for someone, following directions and so on. Once a month they can trade these points in for fun supplies, lunch party, music during free time, etc. I overheard a child that I seem to be constantly disciplining say to another, "I can't wait until I save enough points to each lunch with my teacher! That will be so much fun!"

Karen

 

[nativetxn]

I am constantly writing down ideas to improve it for next year

I'm not a teacher, but speaking as a parent (okay so my boy is almost middle aged--he was in school <i>once</i>) I just want to tell you how much I admire you for that--you are a great teacher already if you are doing that.