to a new year with new excitements and challenges! The first week has come and gone. We are into the second week of a new school year now and I feel more settled than I did the last few years. It is amazing that I am starting my third year in my own classroom (six years total in teaching).
One of the biggest things I have done differently this year than other years... taking each day as it comes. I have found myself less stressed these first few days and having more time to enjoy my students and getting to know them. Now don't get me wrong, I still have plans (and lots of them if you know me), but we are getting to the plans as they come and fit into our day.
By having done this, I have learned in 4 days of school that I have one student that thrives as a leader and has great communication skills. I have a student that thinks outside of the box in every way (and is going to challenge my thinking this year!). I have a student that cares for her peers and what they need. I have a student that takes pride in what he perceives to be an important role he was hand picked for. And, I have a student that wants to learn and impress everyone that he doesn't let his differences in learning get in his way of being successful and sharing in class conversations and group work. I can't wait to continue to learn about the rest of my students.
This taking things as they come and going with the flow each day means I am not necessarily getting everything I had planned for the day complete, but I am learning so much more about my students. This will undoubtedly be more valuable than the writing seeds activity I was going to do today or the book genre conversation we were going to start on Friday. I hope that I continue to take each day as it comes this year and really let our day be guided by what my students are doing, saying, and learning... not just my plan book.
Happy getting to know your new group... take some time to figure out their personality strengths this week.
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