In Love Again...

To all of those interns I talked to last year: what on earth were you talking about?

Several months ago, I had the chance to work with several different interns as well as individuals who had completed internships. Each of them had horror stories to tell about their intern experiences. Many of them confessed that they don't (or they didn't) want to continue with teaching after that year.

So, I sometimes ask myself if I am doing something wrong because I LOVE MY JOB. I would love to do this for the rest of my life. Is it hard? Oh yes, but the hard days are few and far between when you have such bright and promising students, when you have a staff that opens arms to you and isn't afraid to turn to you for help and advice, when you find your place in the school.

So what's going so right?

1. Today's PLC was great. It was like we were all friends. Were there still frustrations to vent about? Of course, but I found myself collaborating with other teachers (guess who's making the rubric for our next common department assessment? This gal.), offering suggestions, and making plans for December! I mean really - we are totally on the ball. I know it's not just me, but it feels so good to be a part of a successful team.

2. The Monday "Reader's Response" procedure is going great! I say Monday, and they know - Reader's Response. I used one of those sites that randomly generates a certain amount of names from a list of class members - I generated four names and those students knew exactly what to do. It was great. Were there still students who forgot their books? Yeah. They know that they'll have a zero in the gradebook until they come and see me during i-time. Obviously not perfect, but definitely improving.

3. I have a dear sweet neighbor who comes and asks me for technology advice during class. At first, I was annoyed. I thought, Hey, this is my class time and I'm teaching right now. But after thinking about this selfish reaction, I realized what a huge vote of confidence this was for me - someone was asking the lowly intern for help. And though it stops the momentum of my class for a moment, it allows me to practice my procedures ("And we're back in 3... 2... 1..."), and it allows me to contribute to the success of other teachers in a small way.

Is it bad to walk away from a day like today with a feeling of gusto and confidence? Can an intern even boast at this stage of the game, I think I may be getting the hang of this? Again, I have to ask myself, "Am I doing something wrong if I'm more in love with this job than ever before?"

I guess I'm just in love with learning - so sue me! Here's to all of the future lessons to come...