Mondays

So everyone always complains about how the weekends go by fast and then comes Monday, the worst day of the week. Waking up this morning was definitely difficult, but after I had my cup of tea, I was ready to go! Today was my first full day of school and even being a Monday, it went by fast! I accredit this to getting into real content and actually teaching! One of the things my students did was write autobiographical poems, and some of them added a creative component to it, which was fun to see. It's exciting that in 5th grade students are more likely to make projects or assignments unique and creative because they have their own unique personalities and talents.

On a sadder note, my ESL student had a really hard day today. She cried for the majority of the day because she was overwhelmed. I tried to tell her that I understood how hard it was because of my time in Argentina, but that just made her cry more :-( This aspect of my job is one of the hardest because I have no aides in my class, so it is hard to find the time to explain things to her when I have 20 other students to worry about. If you know any ideas on how to reach ESL students, let me know!

I pray for patience, not only with my students but with the process of being a first year teacher. I haven't built up my repertoire of activities and strategies yet, which I know will come in time, but right now it just seems like I'm behind.

Thanks for reading about my thoughts on teaching! I would appreciate any prayers for my transition year, as I am still getting used to being an adult. (Side note: I felt very adult-like today when I received my very own health insurance card in the mail, worked at my desk (which I have actually never done-usually I do work on my bed) did some grocery shopping, and went to the laundromat--REAL LIFE!)