First Year Teacher

I hear it constantly.

"Don't worry, it's your first year." 

"First year is the hardest.  Next year will be easier."

First year this. First year that.  One teacher even boldly stated that as a first year teacher, you are in the trenches.  Wait...Trenches?!? What is this career? ...War!?! 

So, the final verdict for me? What is first year teaching like?  Welp,...I wholeheartedly agree... FIRST YEAR TEACHING is tough!  This is the toughest I have ever worked. And I worked in some crazy job positions such as nursing homes with patients needing full maximum care.  But first year teaching, ..nothing beats the workload...the commitment, the sacrifice... the schedule changes... 

There.. was... no.. day off.  It's constant lesson planning on paper and in your head...it's being concise with instructions...it's processing behavioral issues like, "did he really just DO that?!?" ...or worse yet, "did he really just SAY that?!?" ...And how do i respond?!! Oh man...it was also working after work, coming in on weekends, and coming in early morning to prep.  And yes, there was a past curriculum in place...but I couldn't follow it... I reinvented the wheel.  New worksheets, new lessons, new way of teaching.  And I'm glad I did.  The hard work I put in my first year, will eventually pay off for the second year... or so I hope. I had one teacher say you won't feel comfortable until your third year.  Wow... so...first year teaching and second year teaching are the same horror movie. Ha....Great.  

But now the million dollar question, did I enjoy teaching?  I get this questions all the time from friends and family, "so, how was teaching?"  And the way they asked, it wasn't just a general question. People genuinely want to know. People are honestly curious on how it is to be a teacher.  

And well, to answer that question,... (drum roll)... no surprise....I loved it!  

Students were awesome.  I teach at a private Christian school so the students are said to be more invested.  And the most coolest thing working at a Christian school,...I can talk about Jesus to my students.  Pour into them spiritually!  Encourage them.  Lift them up.  Pray for them.  

That's what made teaching so fun.  Not just teaching them science, but teaching them about life. Teaching them about God and the Bible. Hearing their stories on adversity and trials.  It was a great reminder that students are dealing with a lot of baggage and experiences that are pretty heavy to carry themselves.  

                        Dissecting a pig in Bell 6 Honors Biology.  Student took this photo and sent it to me. 

First year teaching really helped me grow as person. I developed a new sense of compassion. I felt like each one of those students were family.  Sometimes I loved them and well...sometimes, they were completely terrible.  Just like a family... One big happy, dysfunctional family.  BUT....we knew we had Jesus as our savior!  

So what's next, I am looking forward to next year.  New students, new dynamics, new schedule...  I think I am understanding the pace of it all... understanding the different levels of learning...and most importantly, connecting with the students to make an impact on their lives and give them direction in life.  

I was a first year teacher that now understands the "trenches"... but, most revelatory to me,...that I am in the trenches with the students... as we fight a common enemy... and that common enemy is... idleness.  

There is victory in Jesus. 

     Student took this photo and sent it to me.  Bell 6 Biology class before dissecting the pig.