"I know that instead of being the smartest man in the kingdom, I am as big a fool as anyone else."- School for Sillies, Jay Williams, 1969
"Ah, Your Majesty," said Kit. "That is the beginning of wisdom."
When people ask me if I enjoyed my time at Covenant College I always reply in the positive. I’m a big fan of the education department that Covenant has created and have always felt that I was being well equipped to handle the ”real world of teaching”.
Then two weeks ago I walked into my classroom…
Where do I put these desks?
How do I fit tables for four centers in this room and still have some place to walk?
How do I return papers to student?
When do I take them to the bathroom?
Where do I store all the teachers’ manuals for the reading curriculum? And how do I use them?
Where is the lunchroom?
How do I get their attention when they’re working?
How do I plan for the substitute I get every Wednesday? How do I plan for myself everyday?
What do I do with 19 students on the first day?!
And the list goes on and on.
I know that the first year of teaching is hard. Everyone has been more then willing to share first year stories with me. But I don’t think I realized (at least not fully and honestly) how much I still have to learn.
No one told me that just because I got to wear a funny hat last May and have my name on a diploma means that my education is over. Perhaps college is more like kindergarten then we would like to admit. It gives us a taste of what the next step is like and teaches us some of the basic skills and procedures we will need to survive. And then we graduate, get a job and the real learning begins.
The lessons start on Monday.
I wonder if there will be a test?
4 comments:
I'm sure you'll be fine in the end.
You will struggle; you will fight; you will be disappointed; you will be disillusioned; you'll wonder if you're the right person for the job; you'll think the school hired the wrong person; you'll beat yourself up.
But there will be joy and triumph and intelligence and talent and good days filled with smiling students who "get it" and love you and there will be wonderful long weekends during which you can't wait to get back so you can pick up that conversation you left off on Friday afternoon and you will fall in love with your students and they with you and you will struggle together and learn and love and laugh and every possible beautiful tragic cliche you can imagine.
Teaching is worth it; teaching is always worth it.
Heather & I will keep you in our prayers.
Cute post & so very true! I understand. I can say with confidence that every year gets better! :) Do well, Beth!
You can do it friend!
I can't wait to hear about your first day and how amazing it was.
Good teacher outfit, BTW.
On a completly different topic, I'm redecorating the living room. Can't wait to send you pics!
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