thinkbrit

lhuddles:

• I still feel like a fraud but I’m becoming more comfortable with it—however weird that may be. I think the root of this, surprisingly, is that I have no data to back up my teaching (yet). I have no clue if what I’m doing really works. I’m working on it—but what if all my assessments aren’t really assessments? What if I’m assessing the wrong things? What if my kids get to 7th grade and the teacher says “My God, did you learn anything last year?”
• I’ve been sick over the weekend. I was reading Laurie Halse Anderson’s Fever 1793 (which was really good by the way), and I came up with a word: bibliochondriac. I believe I am the person I am reading about. She has a fever? I have a slight fever! (I did…99 degrees…) Rough.
• No one seems to check in on me as the first year teacher. I know this is a compliment—they all forget I’m new at this. I’m not on their radar as a struggling teacher. I should be happy about this. Instead, I’m concerned I’m screwing up and no one is noticing.
• Some parents: Oy. The work is too easy one week and too hard the next week. My child needs this or that or shouldn’t have this grade. Some send emails at obscene hours of the day/night/weekend. I’ve been setting up conferences with some of them for next week, including one parent who has me in a tizzy. Luckily, one of our counselors will be there. She sent me this email when I thanked her for coming:         I feel protected. I’m less concerned about this meeting now.
• I’ve started receiving emails as the middle school lacrosse coach. Huzzah. 

The bolded. Yes. Thank you for verbalizing it. Holy moly — I was checked in on more last year as a first year teacher, and this year as a returning teacher, everyone assumes I’ve got it under control… even though I have a completely new position.