A semester passed

I complete my first semester as a teacher tomorrow!!! WOW! I was looking around at some other first year TFAs yesterday afternoon and I realized how much OLDER we seem now than we did 5 months ago. We don't look so shiny and obviously new. We are a small bit wiser, but mostly more tired and worn out. Though we live in the valley of the sun, we are all very pale from all the hours we spend under fluorescent lights.

Somehow, I am starting to feel more comfortable as my teacher self. I am starting to realize that I can handle difficult situations when they come my way. This morning, as my students were coming in, somehow one of my students ended up being knocked to the floor and for a minute couldn't seem to get up. He even started crying. All the while I am trying to get my other students to settle in and get their work out. I found myself standing over Bryan on the floor while looking up and counting down for my other students to be at their desks in between asking Bryan if he is ok. Luckily, Bryan is my tiniest little student, so i could just pick him up to get him on his feet once i realized he wasn't seriously injured. Never a dull moment.

Yesterday afternoon I decided, based on a recommendation from a Program Director, that I needed more face time with my Spanish speaking parents. So, I decided to go to the houses of a couple of my...i guess you could say...challenging students. I called ahead and was able, with 2 hours notice, to be able to sit down with both parents and the student at each house. It was great. I think we made some progress. The students, I think, were shocked that I actually came to their house. I made it very clear to them that I was there because I know how smart they are and I want to help them do better because they are fully capable of more. I also made it clear that I was tired of them disrupting my class. We made some plans...rewards and consequences. They both did much better today. We will see how long it lasts...but i think they know that i will have their moms sitting in class with them if they don't shape up...and i will be back at their houses if i have to. Today one of them earned being able to stay after school. Isn't that funny? FOr him, detention is a reward rather than a punishment. I should do this home visit thing more often...

I have to get out of here! SO much grading to do, but it is all at my house.

hasta luego