I love the smell of new pencils in the fall. What can be better than a box of brand new crayons, or brand new journals? I think I get even more nervous than the kids about each new year, and rarely sleep that night before the kids first come. I love when a few weeks have passed and the children are getting to know my expectations and things are settling into place.
Teachers have been through many phases since I first started teaching in the 1970s. I remember the days of Whole Language and the days of Basal Readers, reading phonetically and reading sight words, learning centers, developmental learning, learning styles, and pretty much everything in between. And you know, it's all been good. Through each phase, I've learned more about what works in the classroom, and what works with individuals. But I couldn't do it alone. I've been blessed with delightfully talented colleagues. I've learned lots of little tricks of the trade from each and every one of them. I'm proud of my school, as well as my district. They have managed to hire some of the best teachers I've ever seen. My district encourages teachers to try new things, and my district doesn't hesitate to find money to support materials necessary as well as training. I'm one very lucky teacher.
