Holy Smokes

We're already approaching the 7th week of school and I haven't blogged yet for the 2022-2023 school year!?!?  

It's been a busy start, folks!   I don't know about you, but I'm quickly learning that this year there is a theme - expect the unexpected!    It's 5:03pm, and I'm still in my classroom.    This year it has been one unexpected and completely out-of-the-blue situation after another.   While I'm not really a fan of my teaching schedule this year (truth bomb) - I must say I really am enjoying the students just as much (if not more) as I always do.    I've been forcing myself (for lack of a better term) to keep my eye on the POSITIVE and remember it's about THEM and not all the "stuff."   

With that in mind... a smile file moment for you:

Yesterday, one of my 9th graders hit their first-ever reading fluency goal.

Y'all!   This young man was SO excited, he literally jumped out of his chair and said, "You're a miracle worker!   You're a miracle worker!   I've never done this!"

While laughing I said, "Well buckle up buddy, because you're moving up a level and you WILL do it again."    

I'm back in Grad School!

....I'm back in grad school!    

I wanted to share something I posted/reflected on for my class:

EDDA 541 L - Self-Care & Resilience for Educator

Have you ever had this experience?   

You read an amazing article, and then you end up clicking and before you know it, what should have taken only a few minutes to read has lead you down an hour+ of reading?    

I'm super grateful for the article, " Building Resilience, Preventing Burnout."   I downloaded the article, printed a copy for myself, and then printed a copy to put in my lesson planning book as well as my journal.   I plan on blocking out the date and photocopying it to put in teacher mailboxes as well.

I plan on blocking out the date because lately it seems I, as well as some of my colleagues, are a bit too cynical when we read "advice" articles that were published prior to COVID.   I feel as if I'm not alone in needing to achieve number four:  cultivating realistic optimism.  

As I was reflecting on each action step, I found myself putting them in order for ME and what I need to do.   

I realized that I really don't struggle with asking for help anymore and I'm able to learn and see what I'm doing well.   However, I really need to focus on building in micro-moments of renewal during the day.    At first, when I read that point/suggestion, I thought, "Hey, that's easy... I can do that..." and then I finished the article and clicked some more and read this and realized this past year I was a level 3 or 4.    It made me STOP, go back, re-read the original article and then journal out a plan that works for me.     

I seriously need to learn that taking time for me is NOT SELFISH.   

I seriously need to stop pretending like stress doesn't impact my health.    You have two autoimmune diseases, Leigh Anne!   Wake up!   This IS hurting you!

I need to seriously stop declining invitations for tea or coffee or whatever with a friend and perhaps step up and start going or inviting others to join myself.    

End of School Year (part 2)

 What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life?

What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

What is your favorite part about being in #phs117?

Sometimes I feel like I am too hard on my students... apparently not... so... now what?

End of school year (part 1)

I can't believe we survived the 2021-2022 school year.   This year was so tough!    And now the dust has settled and I know I don't need to quit or resign because I'm already looking forward to and planning for next year.    

This post is more for my reference, but feel free to read on.  

This year, I actually had time to give an end of year survey.    Tomorrow is the official last day of school.    I've been BEGGING my students to not fall prey to the dreaded summer slide.    

Here are some of their summer literacy goals....{You will need to click to make larger}

I also made sure to ask students how their relationship with reading changed this year:

I was also curious to hear more about what challenged them this year...

 

"Naming" emotions

 I'm not ashamed to admit it.

I've been in therapy.

I actually LOVED therapy.

Even though therapy was the hardest freaking thing I've ever freaking done in my whole freaking life... I loved me some therapy.     Or well... the results of it.    

You're probably thinking, "Where is this blog post going?"

In therapy, I learned the SERIOUS importance of NAMING an emotion.   Not just, "I'm angry."   Not "I feel upset because...." but REALLY giving a well thought out name for what you're feeling.

I needed to take time to figure out the many emotions of COVID teaching.   From March 2020 until present day...

While I can name all sorts of emotions and feelings... I can best describe COVID teaching with an analogy/comparison of sort.

COVID hitting felt like my world all around me collapsed.    I lost the sanctity of my classroom.

I felt oh so lost.

Our students felt lost.

We had no idea of what damage had really been done, we had no idea what impact things would have... we were just hanging on as best we could.

I hated virtual learning.    But I made it work.   I never realized how "hands on" I was until Virtual Learning crushed my Constructivist learning ways.     

I made it work because I had no choice.   It also meant I began teaching LATE at night and putting myself on the sleep schedule of a teenager.    It wasn't uncommon for me to log on during our normal class meeting hours and then log back on after my own children went to bed.     

The school year ended and last year we did virtual learning with an A/B Hybrid Schedule.   It was a mess.    But we made it a functional mess.   We had a plan on how to make things work.   We did our best.    This school year, I feel like we're still cleaning up the mess.    I could go on and on about this, but I won't.    Let's just say that now that we've been back all year full time, I've learned the damage done to kids who had no real in-person instruction daily.  

While I know there are bound to be hiccups, I'm looking forward to next year.     Good-bye, COVID, please stay away from us.    I've been out of my comfort zone far too long.   

Building relationships

Building relationships with your students is important.   I reflect on this often, and then ... it dawned on me... on my 40th birthday... that it started with my OWN teachers!     My Facebook blew up with Happy Birthday wishes.    Mrs.Cornell was my kindergarten teacher!   She even attended my wedding!   Mr. Patterson and I keep in touch weekly, he was my grade school principal!   And Mr. Hanssen was my history teacher in high school.    Random ka-winkie-dink!    

 

God Bless You, Steven.

It's never easy learning a student has passed.   

Steven was a student of mine many moons ago, but my gosh, he was one that "stuck" in your mind.  Steven was an amazing young man who saw the world through a unique lens.   Steven was in my class my first years of teaching, and he taught me probably just as much as I taught him.  

God bless you, Steven.   And thank you.