End of Year Thoughts

Although many veterans of the classroom say that one's first year of teaching is the hardest, in my case, that wasn't true. This year has been one of the most challenging in my life, both at school and at home.

The biggest reason for the difficulties at school this year is that I had several students who were just plain outright rebellious. They didn't want to obey, behave, or come under classroom rules. They wanted to control, manipulate, and instigate. The main child who caused problems is living in a single-parent home and has severe anger issues and some focus issues also. I would have liked to have had this child tested, but his parent did not see the necessity of it. Anyway. . . as the year is over, I look back and I wonder.

Did I do enough? Did I do the right thing when I dealt with these students? Did I show them that even though I had to repeatedly discipline them, I love them? I hope so.

This year I felt as though I could not give some of my other quieter students the attention they needed because of constantly having to deal with these troublemakers. As a matter of fact, one parent told me after church tonight that her daughter complained about all the interruptions. She had right to complain. They were frequent.

However, no matter what last year held, it is over. I cannot change it. I can only learn from it. I hope that I learn the lessons that the Master Teacher has shown me. I am already eagerly anticipating next school year. I am excited to face another year full of possibility and promise!