Graduation

[my very first year of teaching is over]

     I learned just as much as my students this year. Throughout this school year, my many failures have allowed me to learn how I can teach my students more effectively. I also learned to be more confident in my ability to teach them and in my ability to be innovative with lesson ideas.

     I was stretched by the culture, and how it impacted my first year teaching experience. Not only did I have to deal with ELL students, but I also struggled with cultural differences [such as lying] which are so ingrained in their lives (even at age 5). Dealing with Moroccan parents and colleagues was similarly a stretching experience.

     I am excited about how much my students learned this year. There were moments at which I felt like I had failed as a first year teacher this year. However, two weeks before graduation, we took a 'field trip' to first grade.  The first grade teachers were absolutely in awe of the reading/writing level of my kids. I realized at that point that, even if I did fail in some minor areas, I know with certainty that my students are ready for first grade overall and that they can do much more now than they could at the start of the year. Therefore, I succeeded!

     I'm beginning to realize that if I want to impact these students even more than I did this year, I need to be more intentional about building relationships with each of them. I got so caught up in the stress of being a first year teacher this year, that I'm afraid I missed so many opportunities to simply 'enjoy' the moments that were happening right in front of me. 

     I am most proud of the students who [quite literally] made my hair turn gray this year. There were a number of students who drove me absolutely crazy this year. As a teacher, though, I got to see those students on good days and bad days. Consequently, I was able to see their potential and it made me love them even more because I wanted to be that person who convinced them that they could be president if they just made the right choices in life. In the end, I'm not sure I really convinced them of their true potential...but I did prepare them for first grade:

-Nicole