Now that the year has started, I’m realizing that so many things have changed, I’m actually going to have to TRY to find the things that are the same. Here’s the rundown.
New principal.
New teachers - 10 in 7th grade (out of 14).
New grade-level assistant principal.
New room.
New SMART Board.
New roles and responsibilities (yearbook advisor, 7th grade math team leader, 7th grade team leader, 7th grade field trip to Disney organizer, and assistant boys track coach).
New content (kinda – teaching one section of “below grade level”, one section of “on grade level” like last year, and one section of “above grade level” or Honors – which are supposed to learn all 7th and 8th grade in one year).
New full-inclusion model (which means all special ed students are included in regular ed classes instead of being pulled out into a different room)
New co-teacher (Ms. Polk is the great though, and she’s the head track coach. We’re gonna become BFF’s this year).
New class sizes…last year I had a total of 70 students…this year, it’s 83 (classes of 26, 28, and 29).
New Big Goal – this year, my students are “Getting on the Next Level”. Because I’m teaching all levels of achievement, my goal for each student is to get on whatever is THEIR next level, while collectively working to get everyone on the same level as the high achieving middle schools in Charlotte.
With all these changes, part of me feels like I’m starting all over again. But I’m not. What HASN’T changed is the conviction I have to what I’m doing. The desire of my students to do better than anyone has ever expected them to do. My experience in the classroom last year, knowing what works and what doesn’t work. And even on a basic level, how to work smarter and not harder to get my lessons planned, my copies made, and my grades done. This is going to be a great year, despite all the changes. Who ever said change had to be bad?
Thank you all for following my first year in the classroom. Stay tuned for what’s to come this year!
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