A Clean Slate

About three and a half years ago, I made this attempt to start blogging.  Let me say that I failed utterly.  I don't think that one post every six months counts as blogging.  I thought it would be this therapeutic process and allow me to get all my thoughts on paper about what was happening in my classroom--especially during my internship!.  I'm sure it would have been... if I had successfully committed to it.  

Why did I not blog successfully?

Truly, I think I was completely overwhelmed.  Who has time to blog when you are barely getting a good night's rest? 

During my first three years of teaching, I have read so many blog posts and have scoured the internet looking at what others are doing in their classrooms.  Over these first three years, I look back and see so much growth in myself. I  see how much I have changed during this time. 

What are these major changes? 

Year 1: I had 4 preps.  I did weekly lesson plans, but I really felt like I was planning day to day.  I got to work every day at 7:20, and I stayed till at least 5 or 5:30 every night trying to get ready for the next day.  

Year 2: I had 3 preps. I learned how to plan week to week instead of day to day.  I still stayed late, but I made a much more effective use of my time than the previous year.  I also started graduate school at Auburn University between years 1 & 2.

Year 3: I had 2 preps. I now plan a unit at a time with slight tweaks as I go and see what needs my students have from day to day.  I have a better idea of what to expect from my students and that helps me plan for larger periods of time.

As I move into Year 4, I will finish my Master's degree at Auburn on August 1 (YAY!). I feel more confident in myself as a teacher, as a professional--not just someone who chose to teach, but as someone who was trained to teach--just like doctors are trained to heal and care for people. 

So I want to give myself a clean slate with this whole blogging thing.  I want to share what I've learned and how I am still learning every day.  I tell my students every year that I hope to learn just as much from them as they do from me.  They teach me every day just as I teach them. 

"He who dares to teach must never cease to learn." 

                                              ~John Cotton Dana