The Learning Vertical Line

In teaching there is no learning curve.  It is a straight up and down line.  Every single day I make big mistakes and learning even bigger lessons.  I now know never to give directions to first graders without starting my sentence saying, "In a minute, when I say go."  I also know that when I open up a classroom "store" with prizes, I need rules.... such as, how long you can look at the prizes, you cannot trade (all sales are FINAL), if you whine, cry, or complain you will not get to go to the classroom store next week.  These are just a few of the things I learned today- the first day of my third week of teaching.  (The 11th day of teaching my own class... if we were counting)

Teaching is hard.  The HARDEST thing I have ever done in my whole life.  

Teaching is exhausting.  I am tired ALL the time.

Teaching is overwhelming.  I have 17 students NEEDING me at all minutes of the day.

Teaching is frustrating.  How am I going to help get all my students on grade level, when I cannot hardly keep them from talking and arguing?  

Teaching is rewarding.  

No matter how bad of a day we have in our classroom, I always get hugs.  My students remind me with their smiles and excitement for learning that it is all worth it.  So when my alarm goes off at 5:30 AM and I step into school at 6:30 AM and don't leave some days till 6:30 PM and finally finish planning for school at 10 PM before I put my head down, I have to push aside the feelings of exhaustion and being completely overwhelmed and remember why I wanted to do this in the first place.  

These students deserve the best education around.  I signed up for Teach for America, and I am taking masters classes two nights a week, so I can be the best educator I can be for my students.  

Don't get me wrong.  I still have really rough days where I want to go home and cry, or find a new profession, but it is my hope and prayer that as the weeks go on we have FAR more good days than bad, and that my students learn to count, add, subtract, read, and write just like every other first grader across America.  

We will get there.  I know we will.