Sleep? Who Has Time For Sleep?

I am mainly starting this blog for all of my friends and family who often ask how my school year is going. I know that some of you are thinking, 'when the heck are you going to have time to blog?!' Easy...I don't sleep. For those of you who don't know me, I enjoy having a busy schedule. Not only do I teach fourth grade, but I also teach dance after school, and in the midst of working on my Masters in Speech Language Pathology. 

As I share my stories with you I want to let you all know that the names of my students will not be posted on this blog, instead I will give them pseudo names like.

I get asked everyday to share my experience as a first year teacher teaching fourth grade. So here goes...

I often am told, 'you're just a teacher, you only work until 3' 'well you get 2 months of for summer vacation, why are you so tired?!' 'You only teach them elementary math, how hard can that be?'...BIGGEST. PET. PEEVE. EVER.

 A lot of people don't realize what teachers really have to do. Between creating lesson plans, grading papers, attending meetings, playing mom and dad, therapist, hug-giver, judge, rule follower, I still have to maintain some what of a social life...I think.

To sum up the past 6 months (I have been wanting to start a blog since day one, but being a first year teacher hasn't been the easiest. I think I get a routine down, and then...I am handed a new curriculum to teach!) my year has been, lets just say...interesting. I really love teaching, and I am so thankful for it! I don't exactly have the easiest bunch of students, but I love each and everyone of my them. I think I cried everyday for the first 3 months of teaching, and still do occasionally. The stories these kids tell me, the lives some of them live, and the frustration from trying to get them to learn is heartbreaking. In the end, if I can just touch and inspire one of them, I would be the happiest person. 7 months in, and I think I have just done that. 

I found this letter shoved in a pile of papers I had to grade. It was a nice surprise to see it.

Today I  came into school to find this card in my mailbox. Thank you to whom ever wrote it, I needed it. As a first year teacher I often feel like I am not doing things right, or I am letting my students down constantly. Again, to whom ever wrote this thank you.