First Day Back From Winter Break
Andrew visited me today at lunch. My students have been asking to meet him all year, and today was the day. Did they actually talk to him? That would be a no. For all their wanting to meet him, they just stared. Ha, just like seventh graders. One of my students yelled at him to marry me, and when we got back to class, he said, “Ms. Smith, I told him to marry you, so if he asks, don’t be surprised.”
Trying to get the students back into focus was definitely difficult. Especially since all I was doing today was reviewing. In social studies, we have our second benchmark next week, so I’m trying to help them remember events we went over more than two months ago. In science, we’re finishing up the digestive system. I really do not like tests after two week breaks, but if teachers that have been teaching more than a decade are fine with it, I guess I should be…
I was searching for review games online, and I found this gem: Speed Match. It’s a timed matching game. I have challenged my students to beat my time, which none has accomplished so far.
Everyone keeps telling me that it will get better after the first year, and while it’s not the worst thing in the world, I cannot wait for my second year of teaching. I have come to realize all the things that I should do at the beginning of the year to make the rest of the year so much easier. You really do have to be mean at the beginning and starting a relationship with parents it key. I have it all stored in my head for next year.
My New Year’s resolution: Take more pictures. Andrew and I have decided to take a picture a day. I’ll try to post pictures here so that I can really keep up with it.
On another personal matter, Andrew and I have applied and been approved for an apartment. Move in date: February 24. I’m extremely excited and so ready to be closer to work. My commute right now is forty-five minutes to an hour. When we move, it will be about twenty to thirty minutes. Much better. :)
Background
Hi! I am Jennifer. I graduated in May 2011 with a degree in middle grades education, emphasis in science and social studies. After over twenty interviews in a little over two months, I was offered a job not too far from my hometown. With no hesitation, I said yes to the offer rather enthusiastically. I began teaching one class of social studies and three classes of science in the seventh grade. Being a first year teacher has its ups and downs, and sometimes it is very easy to get caught up in the downs. It is the little moments that push me through hard times in the classrooms. I love my students, and I believe that they are teaching me much more than I am teaching them.
I have survived my first semester of teaching and am currently enjoying a much needed two week Winter Break.
My personal life right now is dominated by my boyfriend of four and a half months, Andrew. We’ve known each other for almost four years and recently started dating. Currently, we are looking for an apartment that is in between my school and his work.
While Andrew is at work this week, I am planning a review unit for an upcoming benchmark test. The first benchmark my students did not do that well on. I had forgotten the date and was only able to spend one day reviewing. Because of this, I have decided to spend more time reviewing with my students this time to ensure better scores for my students.
I have noticed that students these days have trouble remembering things that have not been drilled into them. Teachers simply do not have the time to drill every aspect of every standard into their students because of the vast majority of them. I wish that I did not have to cover SO much in such a short amount of time. It would certainly make it easier on my students. I want them to leave my classroom knowing more than when they entered, however, at this point, I do not believe I am succeeding. Going into teaching, I knew it would be hard and a lot of work, but I did not realize just how hard it would be. This first year is full of learning moments, and I am trying to soak it all up.
