School Update

I’d love to say the classroom is perfect and that all the kids sit quietly and are incredibly excited to see what Didi Sara has to teach that day. Unfortunately that would be a giant lie. I was telling Mike yesterday that I wish I could tell people the classroom was getting much better so I could feel successful or that change was happening. Or at least calm people’s fears that I am getting dramatized by a room full of crazed 6th graders. He responded with the interesting comment of how people probably just want to hear that I’m okay and enjoying it. So that I can assure you. I am doing well and enjoying the challenge of it. Sometimes I want to throw up my arms in despair and force them to teach themselves, but I keep coming back. I’m continually trying to think of new, different ways to make it work. I have a couple more thoughts up my sleeve for this week so we’ll see.
This picture perfectly embodies my classroom. Full of chaos and me standing in the middle, trying to figure out how the heck I am supposed to teach all these kids. Let alone have them actually LEARN anything. It’s a tough nut to crack. I made a list the other day of the things I’m learning professionally and personally. It was really encouraging to have tangible evidence that I’m growing as it is easy to think I’m just stuck in struggle mode.
If you walked into my classroom this week, you’d still be shocked and think, “What do these kids eat to make them like this!?!” You’d probably think no progress has been made. You might be right, but relationships are being built slowly and I think both parties are learning. Even if just learning how to understand American English. I’d welcome you all to my classroom and give me advice! I’m more open than ever for ideas, which I think is a good place to be in the long run. I’m new at this, and that’s just fine.