Update

I'd say it has been a while since I have posted so since I had some extra time this morning I thought I would entreat you with a glimpse of what has been going on lately.

Every day I get up at 5am, shower, iron my clothes, and do a few last minute preparation things, eat some breakfast and I’m out the door. I get to school no later than 7am and work until 1st hour preparing for the day. After that point, the day is basically a blur - it passed by before I even know that it's done. It goes by so quickly and yet it is still so tiring. I talk a lot - and you all know how much I love to talk, but at the end of a day of teaching, the last thing I want to do is talk. Some days are easy and other days (yesterday especially) are trying. My patience is the only thing that gets me through sometimes. There is usually at least one confrontation a day with a student - a challenge to see if you're going to back down. I've found that I am pretty strong and can handle it pretty well.

The only discouraging part is when students deliberately choose to not participate in whatever is going on in class. Not only does it break your heart as a teacher to see them choosing to fail, but it also irritates you because they are being outright disrespectful and don't care. There are a few students in my 5th hour 11th grade English class that are like that - new seating chart on Monday! Honestly, all I can do is try to help them without coddling them. That is a very fine line - and almost too fine to try and walk, but as a teacher it's my job.

The best feeling in the world, however, is when you come into your class right as the bell is ringing and you find all of your students sitting in their seat working quietly on the work that is on the board. Wednesday I took my 1st hour students to the "Collage Show Preview" that the school was doing and they let out a few minutes later than expected, so when I finally got back to my classroom at the other end of the school, the last bell had just rung. I walked to the door, opened it, and found myself surrounded by students working on their vocabulary words and, better yet, helping each other with questions!! Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal to someone who isn't a teacher, but that is a huge deal! It shows that your kids respect you enough to be on time, enough to find their appropriate seats, that your classroom is managed to the point that they know what to do at all times, and that they are responsible enough to follow directions on the board even without you telling them to. It is an amazing feeling.

Other than school, Michael and I are about to celebrate 9 months tomorrow (the 10th) and that, too, may not seem like a big deal to most of you but I assure you that it is. Lately we've been talking about our options and have been considering moving across country for work... we'll see. As of right now, it's just a discussion. But a very alluring one.

I will hopefully post again soon - sorry it took so long!!
~Bethany Joy~