The First Week

It's hard to believe that it's already been a week since school started. So much work to get ready, so much paperwork, planning, organizing, preparing, just so much! Then, the kids arrived - which always brings a fresh perspective and new dimension to the work before they get there.

But, it's been a week since then and I'm beat! I'm already a bit behind in grading, I've not covered nearly what I'd hoped to and I continue to feel overwhelmed.

To complicate matters, it feels like the honeymoon with my kids is nearly over. I have a real mix of interesting students - not just because some are 4th and others 5th, or some English Language Learners and others not, and not just because I have some behaviorally challenged kids and others that are model students - but because of all of that. I'm trying not to use all the tricks in my bag while trying not to loose patience or perspective. More on all of them as I discover them, but I can already tell who will try my nerves and who will make it easy to teach. I can also see who will fall between the extremes - but then again, it'll be different everyday.

Teaching - much like parenting - is both the hardest thing I've done, and the most rewarding.

I'm so tired, yet feel so alive - or at least I tell myself.