Welcome! I am looking forward to participating in the #write31Days challenge hosted by www.write31days.com this year. This is my 3rd series, and I cannot wait to see where it takes me! Thank you for reading, and feel free to send comments my way. :-)
This year my oldest son started kindergarten. It has launched me into some interesting reflections on my own teaching career: how it impacted me, how I impacted others, things I now remember after walking through his school, and more. It is a strange feeling to be on the other side of the desk, to be a visitor in the halls. I am not in charge, and it is hard to accept.
I have always been a firm believer in self-evaluation, and I know when I was teaching, I continually was striving to do my best for my students. Now, in hindsight, the self-evaluation is coming from many other angles: how did my students perceive me? What do they remember? Did their parents like me? What did I do (if anything) to be likable? Because 'being liked' wasn't my main goal, but rather teaching the students and challenging them to work hard & know more & grow was my goal. I know my classes were tough, but it was my gift to my students: it would have been easier for me to teach an easy class!
I love running into my former students around town, and it is one of the blessings of small-town-life! It is such a joy to see them now, hear what they are doing & where they are living, hear their memories of our time together in class. I never cease to be amazed. The clarity of hindsight has given me new perspective on what I thought mattered, and what inevitably mattered the most. I cannot wait to take the time & metal breaks to explore my memories.
I hope that gives you an idea of what to anticipate in this series. Thank you for reading!
1. When I was a teacher...
2. When my former student's mother became my son's librarian...
3. When I have to entrust my son...
4. When I think about my worst memory as a teacher...
5. When I had parent-teacher conferences...
6. When my son's teacher doesn't live up to my expectations...
7. When I made mistakes as a teacher...
8. When I realized how meaningful the relationships become...
9. When I consider how to balance letting go & protecting...
10. When I evaluated student performance...
11. When one of my students was an orphan...
12. When I feel like the teacher is too hard on my son...
13. When I practice goal setting...
18. When I owe my son's teacher an apology...
19. When I stop & pray for my son's teacher...
20. When I answer the question: how's it going...?
21. When I think of teaching, what makes my heart swell...
22. When I give my son's teacher credit...
25. When I find myself settling in...
This sounds so interesting. It is always useful to look at yourself from different angles. I remember when I was a psychology student, I never wanted to be associated with psych patients (I didn't work yet). Less than a year later, I had dropped out and become a psych patient myself. Though some of my (negative) ideas about psych patients were correct, others were not. Likewise, you might've had disputes with determined/stubborn parents that you now understand now that you're a MOm yourself. Hopping over from 31 days.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! Yes- my perspective has changed dramatically & it has been almost embarrassing to walk into a room with my former students' parent as my sons' new librarian and truly not know if she even liked me or not based on our interactions before. Of course I never meant to be callous, but rather just prioritized the other goals. I hope the series is as entertaining for others as it is for me! Thanks for reading. ;-)
DeleteI haven't had much time to go look around at the #write31days folks, but I'm stuck on yours for sure now.
ReplyDeleteI'm struggling as a mom, educator and ... well, whatever I'm supposed to be.
Your writing is helping me feel connected. Thanks so much.
I'm so glad you came across my series. Thank you for your encouragement and your feedback. :-) You have made me feel connected as well!
Delete