Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Secret Ingredient

Something occurred to me today while I was teaching today. It was my first day teaching my class from start to finish since mid September. With a student teacher slowly but surely taking over my class, I had forgotten something. 
This year, between difficulties I have found adjusting to the many areas to which I have spread myself, being a cooperating teacher, trying to lead or at least help in several different areas, I seem to have forgotten something along the wat...  I absolutely LOVE this, and it is FUN. 
I know many teachers are stressed in our state about teacher evaluations, sgos and sgps, common core, parcc, anti-bullying and more. I myself started falling into the trap I have tried to keep others from trekking. I was losing sight of how much fun this job can be when you are doing it well.
My class wasn't perfect today, and there were things I could improve. Today was however, the most fun I have had all year, and as a result I feel as though my class was with me and gaining more than at any time in the year. I had forgotten the one thing I held as important as any other in teaching:  if you are having fun, and making sure the students are having fun with you, everyone will be doing so much better overall and learning will naturally occur. 
So if you ever find yourself stressed or in a funk, get into your classroom, close the door and have fun with your students!  It will help pull you out of that rut, allow you to forget (at least temporarily) all the stressors from the outside world. 

Tomorrow's homework: go into your classroom and no matter what you teach, enjoy it to the fullest!

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