Before I begin, I should preface this entry by saying just how much I love my students and I truly cherish each and everyone of them to the fullest...but there are days, when to put it lightly....they push my buttons. That was today.
To begin, it was my week to be off for morning outside duty, however due to the rain this morning, we had inside recess so my ten extra minutes of prep time were gone. Then, my new student arrived 15 minutes early, so I ended up with about enough time to put my lunch in the fridge and turn on my computer. Things went great introducing my new student to the routines and getting him settled until all the other kids came in and the questions started flying...
There is something about the amount of questions these precious little ones ask that amazes me! Let's just put it this way, if I had forgotten to prepare anything for my new student or explain any routines to him, my class would have taken care of it for me. I don't know how many times I answered, "Thank you, but I'll take care of it," or "Don't worry about it now, I'll do that when it is time."
I was lucky enough to have Art as a special today, so I had an extra hour of planning time. This is precious time to an elementary school teacher who has to switch between math, writing, reading, etc. at the drop of a hat. I was thrilled to get ahead on planning until I realized I had forgotten to correct last week's spelling tests and homework. That sucked up about 30 minutes of my hour.
Right before lunch I was so happy to look out and see the sun, so I sent my kiddos to lunch with their outdoor gear. 35 minutes later... I was surprised to see them walking back into the classroom for inside recess...so much for that extra few minutes..again.
Despite this less than desirable morning, the afternoon seemed to go much smoother as I sat back and watched my little ones read for a whole 13 minutes without interruptions! :) Now that is an accomplishment for this busy group!
When the day came to an end and they were all packing up, I found myself looking around. Johnny (all names used are pseudonyms) was dropping all the pencils out of the "Needs Sharpening" bin, Katie had just dropped all her papers from her mailbox, Sam was wrestling on the floor with Tommy (supposedly he was trying to help him get up), and about 7 little hands were tapping me or calling out my name. I realized in that moment that I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have the job. These kiddos put my patience and mental strength to the test everyday, but I get to have 175 days with them to make a difference in their life.
It will never be easy, but to know that even when I do have a day like today, I always have tomorrow...another opportunity to teach them and have them teach me...This is what gets me through.
I found this quote today and I think it sums up my day nicely:
"Courage
doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of
the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow." ~Mary Anne Radmacher
These are beautiful and realistic glimpses into the life of a second grade teacher...and the patience it requires. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJust how you turned this very stressful day into a positive really says something about your character. You're very patient and caring, and any classroom would be very lucky to have you.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, do you do the Daily 5 with the kiddos? It sounds like you've been working on stamina! 13 minutes?! That's amazing!
Thanks for this peak into your classroom; I can feel the whirlwind of it all ... and the care you have for your students.
ReplyDelete:-)
Thank you all.
ReplyDeleteKelcey- I use pieces of Daily 5. I am trying to be more consistent and focused with it this year so that I can truly develop independent workers in my classroom! We have been building our stamina since Day 1 and we have worked up to 15 minutes now.