As I look back over the year as I prepare to graduate, I remember how scared I was that I was not going to be up for the challenge in the coming year.  Now, I realized that I was learning the most valuable lesson that I could share with my students.  This lesson is instead of looking at the whole picture, break it down into manageable goals and take one goal at a time.  When students feel overwhelmed, they tend to give up telling themselves they cannot do it anyway.  If I can relate to them and tell them to break it down into manageable items and have them do that one task until the project is done, I can keep them motivated and they will learn that nothing is impossible as long as they break it down into manageable steps.  I have used this in reading goals, math problems, and the immigration unit.

I have also learned quite a bit about the opening of a classroom.  The most important time of the year are those first two or three weeks.  If you do not establish the rules and consequences along with procedures, you will not be effective as a teacher.  There cannot be any learning or teaching if you do not have effective classroom management skills.  If you have to continually discipline your class, you are not being effective as a teacher.  Your students suffer because of your classroom management skills.  These skills are very important.  I learned that from raising my own children and I relearned the value of leadership in the classroom.

I have also learned how important it is to remember to have fun.  I love teaching and have made it a point to bring some fun into each day.

 

I look forward to the challenge of learning about my students and motivating them to learn in a fun and safe environment.  I have been reflecting a lot lately and I know that I will continue to reflect about the coming years as I establish myself as a teacher.  I look forward to reading my journal in five years to see where I have grown and what opportunities have been made available as a teacher.