Monday, August 15, 2011

1st v. 2nd


So far I really like my second year teaching.  Besides the fact that I am a newlywed with my best friend down here, teaching has been a huge blessing.  It is way more similar to how I envision teaching where the teacher is confident and and in 100% control 100% of the time.  Below are some comparisons between the two first days of school:

LENGTH OF HOLDING HOMEROOM
1st Year: 5 days or 40 hours in the classroom
2nd Year: ½ day or 4 hours in the classroom

SCHOOL and GRADE LEVEL:
1st Year:  Solomon MS - 7th Grade Math
2nd Year:  Solomon MS - 7th Grade Math

HOMEROOM SIZE
1st Year:  23
2nd Year:  21

LEVEL OF STUDENT TALKING (1 – 10; 10 is the hearing a pin drop)
1st Year:  5; Mild comments and questions without raising hand
2nd Year:  10; Silence is golden

AMOUNT OF FOOD CONSUMED THE FIRST WEEK
1st Year:  3 meals over the week…seriously
2nd Year:  3 meals per day…everyday

TIME SPENT EACH NIGHT PLANNING THE FIRST WEEK
1st Year:  Every waking moment
2nd Year:  About two hours a night

TEACHER CONFIDENCE IN RULES (1 – 10; 10 is complete confidence)
1st Year:  4; Summer School was helpful but little confidence
2nd Year:  10; I wish they would test me

MOST TIME CONSUMING ACTIVITY THE DAY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED
1st Year:  Planning + Worrying
2nd Year:  Kayaking with my wife

FEELING IN LEGS LAYING IN BED THE NIGHT AFTER SCHOOL
1st Year:  Ached as much as when I ran my first marathon – seriously
2nd Year:  Felt like I ran 5 miles

LEVEL OF OPTIMISM AFTER THE FIRST DAY
1st Year:  How will I get through the year?
2nd Year:  This year will be great!  This is why I wanted to be a teacher!

            As hopefully this picture will paint, the first day of school was incredibly different between my first and second year.  I always thought that and believed that my second year was easier but didn’t realize the level of confidence I gained throughout the first year even though it was so hard at times.  As this year continues I look forward to growing as a teacher and continuing to run a silent classroom.  There is hope for all first years!

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