Things I have learned in my first year of teaching..

>>Things I have learned in my first year of teaching #1: Never be afraid to ask questions or ask for help.

I am definitely the type of person who finds a way to do something and sticks to it. I am sort of controlling in the sense that I like my routine. I like things to be structured. At least I like to know what to expect. Although it's really hard as a teacher, and I can go with the flow, if it is up to me I like to know what will happen, what time, when, who will be there, even to the point where I practice what to say before I meet with people so that I am prepared. I like organization. I like to have my own style of organization that works for me. Even though I have 3 instructional assistants in my room I like to do a lot of the work myself. I like to plan the lessons. I like the prepare the worksheets. Make the copies. Copy my assessments. Organize my IEP files. Discuss issues with other teachers. Plan my meetings. etc. etc. etc. Throughout this year I have had to learn to ask for help. Not only with these small things like organization or teaching a certain skill, but with the kids. I have had to admit that I cannot handle everything and that there are a lot of people who have a lot of experience and I need to be able to ask. I need to ask advice and ask when I don’t know how something works, what something is, or what I should do. I have learned that it doesn’t make people think you are less experienced or unknowledgeable to ask them questions, or ask them what I should do. It has made me a stronger person I think to be able to admit when I need help.

>>On another funny note, I got super glue in my hair today while I was gluing one of my student’s backpacks together after one of my other students ripped it apart. The funny part was, I didn’t notice I had gotten it in my hair until about 2 hours later and (I am almost embarrassed to admit) there were many things I thought could have been hard and crusty in my hair before I remembered the super glue. Wow, this is how it must feel to be a parent.

>>And finally, maybe this is just a kid thing, but I am so sick of tattle tails in my class. Everyone has to be involved in everyone else's business. I have kids telling me all the time about this kid did this to another kid, they are telling me about things that they weren’t even involved in. I had to give a big speech that unless it's something someone is doing to YOU, or if it is something dangerous I do not want to hear about it. I feel like that is almost cruel but its getting to the point where I have 7 people telling me about one situation or I am getting told about what so and so is doing every single second. There has to be a balance. Hopefully we can find it.