Back in Black!

Wow! I cannot believe I have not written in a few years. The past three years in the classroom have been something like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Since I last posted, so much has changed, especially myself. I am starting year six of teaching. I simply cannot believe it has been that long! It feels like I just started yesterday. While teaching summer school this year, I had a very interesting experience (which I will detail in another posting). During a casual conversation with one of my teaching partners, she said I should blog it. It was at that moment when I remembered my long forgotten blog that I had hoped to use to chronicle my teaching experiences. So, here I am, back to the blog after a too-long hiatus.

I feel I need to briefly recap where I've been so I can begin to move forward. Here goes...

2004 - 2005: a first year like no other. It was my first year of teaching and I did nothing else. Every waking moment was devoted to learning how to perfect something that already came naturally. I was so blessed to have a patient mentor who lead me gently along, but allowed me to take the lead plenty. This first year was much like a dream. I could not believe how fortunate I was to have my dream job. I remember this year fondly and yet there are certainly things I wish I had done better.

2005 - 2006: year two. This year really flew by. I was sort of like the kid who learns a new skill and thinks he/she has it under control. Some days I really hit my stride, others I simply managed to stay afloat. My teaching partner has let me take on more responsibility and creative control. How lovely! Even lovelier is the fact that I'm starting to loosen up. My ideals are changing. My need for absolute control is changing, okay well not that much. My creative juices flow more easily and I'm feeling comfortable now. There is still so much work being a teacher. It still saddens me that I'm not the best yet and may never be. I'm simply the "ogre math teacher". I want to be inspiring not tolerated.

2006 - 2007: year three begins with a new teaching partner. If I've not stated before, our school is different. It's small and we teach in pods of 4 w/ two teachers who team-teach together in the same class. My new partner is very interesting. She is very young, just out of school, and a lot of fun. The kids love her. I'm officially the "old matron math teacher" (LOL). We are doing well together for the most part, considering how different we are and how different our philosophies are from each other. One of us had to teach the geometry class. Looking back, I now wish I had done this task. My partner took geometry and I stayed with Algebra. I think mostly because I was scared. I was afraid to try something new and mess up. I am pretty sure I'd have done a nice job.

2007 - 2008: year four and counting. Well, the honeymoon is over. My partner and I are definitely way too different. We do a pretty good job around the kids to present a united front. I can tell I'm viewed as the too-strict control freak. Oh well...my intentions are honorable. I'm still working on algebra and I'm also assisting with our electives program. This is actually my hardest year yet. I feel frazzled and it's showing. Patience is non-existent. I hate the way I feel daily. I just want to be a fun and popular teacher...just for once! I guess that will never happen.

2008 - 2009: year five! I've officially survived five years of teaching. Most new teachers leave within the first five years. Alas, I have a new teaching partner. My 2nd partner has left the teaching field (the first just transferred schools). I am both saddened and excited about a new partner. Partner three is a wonderful woman. She was a new science teacher last year and team-taught with our 8th grade science teacher. This year we are teaming as Math-Science instead of math-math like the past four years. I'm still doing algebra and my partner is science. Together, we kick butt! This is the year where I feel like I finally hit my stride. Not to mention that the other new math teacher to our school actually turned out to be a great mentor. I've learned so much from her. She truly knows how to develop curriculum and take students to a higher level of thinking. I am in awe of her mad skills and have been so blessed to learn from her. So, between my new partner (sci teacher) and our other new algebra teacher . This year was my hardest year ever. I will blog about it separately.