This has been the hardest week I have had in a long time. The MS play scheduled for last weekend was unexpectedly postponed to the middle of this week; the VS play tech was this week as well; two of the VS concerts finished off Friday; auditions for the CI musical were held throughout the week. Not to mention continuing my regular teaching commitments, collaborative planning meetings, and fighting a nasty virus. Of course, this is all fun and exciting stuff (except the virus) - but when it's happening all at once, it's a little much.
Despite the late nights, weekend hours, paint fumes, stress attacks, skipped meals, and intense frustration, a few gems have also made this one of the best weeks I've had. Some highlights...
* Exchanging elementary school jokes with a music teacher during a concert rehearsal.
* An email from a MS student who we struggled with in last year's play. This year she was a joy, and she emailed SW and me a short but sweet and sincere thank you.
* Having a heartfelt moment with a new K student who told me he was worried to come into class because he has never done drama before. He had a great day :)
* Coming in for the afternoon of a half sick day to find a just-because card from one of my first graders who LOVES drama.
* Playing with a new PK student, who told me my nose stud is an indication that "Zombies killed [my] nose."
* Dinner with two of my dearest friends!
* An amazingly fun Open House - going on a bear hunt with prospective PK students and parents, and playing drama games with G3 prospies.
And to top it all off - my dad arrives in Korea in just a couple hours :)
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Currently reading: PS Be Eleven by Rita Williams Garcia
Current high: T-80 minutes to Dad's arrival!
Current low: haven't quite kicked the virus yet...soon, soon :)
Friday, November 21, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Get Up And Go
As you may recall, the other day I had a Bad Day. I had to hold the reins pretty tight in my G3 class, so I know some of them were less than thrilled with me; then most of my kindergarteners in my back-to-back-to-back classes were out of control. Plus a few weird interactions with kids left me slightly shaken. By day's end, I felt defeated. I took half an hour between my last class and drama club rehearsal to walk to Starbucks. I strolled toward my salvation - a dirty soy chai and chocolate muffin - listening to my "Happy" playlist and musing over how to shake my funk.
One of my professional goals for this year was to improve classroom management. Ms. W, my wonderful boss and mentor, addressed this one first in our annual goals meeting. "It's experience," she reminded me. "You're smart. I know this. You know this. It takes time." She was right. I do know. But as I mentioned, as a perfectionist, I want to get it right the first time - even though that's impossible. My struggles with classroom management frustrate me to no end.
One suggestion Ms. W gave me was to observe my students in their homeroom classes. Watch how the classroom teacher and intern manage them. Steal the language they use, the signals they show, the methods they employ to keep particular students and the class as a whole under control.
As I ambled along, this advice occurred to me. I had thought of her suggestion a few times over the past month, but there was always something more pressing. I ought to freshen up that bulletin board, or tidy up this part of the classroom, or organize the costumes for the upcoming play. No more, I decided - I've hit my breaking point. It's time to make this a priority.
When I got back to school, I sat down to draft an email. I wrote to all the PK and K teachers to inform them that I plan to observe in their classrooms on a specific day this week, assuming it suits their schedules. (Thanks to a G1 field trip, Thursday was just waiting to be filled - serendipity!) While I'm sure they wouldn't have minded if I just dropped in, I knew that if I sent that email, I wouldn't be able to put it off again.
I received such wonderful responses from those teachers to enthusiastically affirm my visit, confirm schedules, and even suggest guest teaching in the homeroom to change up the dynamic with the students. What a wonderful reminder of the warm, supportive faculty community I am so lucky to be a part of. It was such a joy to go in and take notes, engage with my students in a situation where I feel less pressure, and continue to reflect and grow.
**********
Currently reading: well, do the scenes for the MS Drama Club production count?
Current high: kindergarten hugs are the best hugs :)
Current low: the sleep deprivation of November...
One of my professional goals for this year was to improve classroom management. Ms. W, my wonderful boss and mentor, addressed this one first in our annual goals meeting. "It's experience," she reminded me. "You're smart. I know this. You know this. It takes time." She was right. I do know. But as I mentioned, as a perfectionist, I want to get it right the first time - even though that's impossible. My struggles with classroom management frustrate me to no end.
One suggestion Ms. W gave me was to observe my students in their homeroom classes. Watch how the classroom teacher and intern manage them. Steal the language they use, the signals they show, the methods they employ to keep particular students and the class as a whole under control.
As I ambled along, this advice occurred to me. I had thought of her suggestion a few times over the past month, but there was always something more pressing. I ought to freshen up that bulletin board, or tidy up this part of the classroom, or organize the costumes for the upcoming play. No more, I decided - I've hit my breaking point. It's time to make this a priority.
When I got back to school, I sat down to draft an email. I wrote to all the PK and K teachers to inform them that I plan to observe in their classrooms on a specific day this week, assuming it suits their schedules. (Thanks to a G1 field trip, Thursday was just waiting to be filled - serendipity!) While I'm sure they wouldn't have minded if I just dropped in, I knew that if I sent that email, I wouldn't be able to put it off again.
I received such wonderful responses from those teachers to enthusiastically affirm my visit, confirm schedules, and even suggest guest teaching in the homeroom to change up the dynamic with the students. What a wonderful reminder of the warm, supportive faculty community I am so lucky to be a part of. It was such a joy to go in and take notes, engage with my students in a situation where I feel less pressure, and continue to reflect and grow.
**********
Currently reading: well, do the scenes for the MS Drama Club production count?
Current high: kindergarten hugs are the best hugs :)
Current low: the sleep deprivation of November...
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Why I Teach (Even Though I'm A Perfectionist)
As is often the case, I find that my deepest reflection - and by extension, my best posts - come from my bad days. Today was a Bad Day.
Let me begin by saying that I am a perfectionist. I love to do things right, I love organization, I love when everything works out just so. This type of personality makes teaching incredibly frustrating sometimes because one never masters teaching. I will never have foolproof classroom management or an ideal curriculum; I will never be the perfect teacher.
I have had other jobs in my life where I felt that I approached perfection. In my summer job in middle management, coordinating overwhelming amounts of logistics, I felt pretty successful much of the time. As a stage manager, I can call a perfect show and find common rehearsal time out of 30+ individual schedules. And while I take a sense of pride in that work and it feels good when I "nail it," the accomplishments are not so thrilling. Even when I do something perfectly, it does not make my heart sing.
The highs in teaching are different. When I have a great day, an awesome student interaction, a smooth class where I can see students learning and developing - that does make my heart sing. Even the simple joy of getting a hug from a student or hearing "I love you, Ms. H!" takes the sting out of a rough day. The highs are higher, but the lows are lower. And at this point, there are definitely a lot of rough days.
But of course - I am young. I am inexperienced. I am trying and failing (and occasionally succeeding). I am learning so much, every single day. As an artist; as a teacher; as a student; I should know to expect nothing different, as long as I continue to reflect and grow.
**********
Currently reading: between PK report season and two plays this month, I have had precious little time to read!
Current high: a dirty soy chai tea latte and delicious dinner made by roomie!
Current low: November, aka the month of staying at school past 7 and continuing to work from home...
Let me begin by saying that I am a perfectionist. I love to do things right, I love organization, I love when everything works out just so. This type of personality makes teaching incredibly frustrating sometimes because one never masters teaching. I will never have foolproof classroom management or an ideal curriculum; I will never be the perfect teacher.
I have had other jobs in my life where I felt that I approached perfection. In my summer job in middle management, coordinating overwhelming amounts of logistics, I felt pretty successful much of the time. As a stage manager, I can call a perfect show and find common rehearsal time out of 30+ individual schedules. And while I take a sense of pride in that work and it feels good when I "nail it," the accomplishments are not so thrilling. Even when I do something perfectly, it does not make my heart sing.
The highs in teaching are different. When I have a great day, an awesome student interaction, a smooth class where I can see students learning and developing - that does make my heart sing. Even the simple joy of getting a hug from a student or hearing "I love you, Ms. H!" takes the sting out of a rough day. The highs are higher, but the lows are lower. And at this point, there are definitely a lot of rough days.
But of course - I am young. I am inexperienced. I am trying and failing (and occasionally succeeding). I am learning so much, every single day. As an artist; as a teacher; as a student; I should know to expect nothing different, as long as I continue to reflect and grow.
**********
Currently reading: between PK report season and two plays this month, I have had precious little time to read!
Current high: a dirty soy chai tea latte and delicious dinner made by roomie!
Current low: November, aka the month of staying at school past 7 and continuing to work from home...
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