life as a first year teacher: first semester

Today is the last day of the first semester of my first year of teaching.  What felt like the longest 4.5 months of my life actually flew by in a flash.  It’s crazy to think that some of the students I had this semester I won’t have any more for the rest of the year.

There is so much that I am still learning about teaching, students, and myself as an educator.  This week has been particularly trying after the shooting in Connecticut last week.  For the first time ever, I was nervous to go to school on Monday out of fear of what could happen at my school.  I walked into my classroom (I’m teaching health right now, so I’ve been spending most of my time in the classroom) thinking of what I could do to protect my students should something like that happen.  Where would we go?  How would I respond?  And how in the world was I going to fit 30 students into a 6x8 foot storage room – along with another class? 

I still have so much I need and want to improve on.  I think I have the potential to be a great teacher, but I’m not there yet.  And as a perfectionist, it’s been hard for me to accept that.  I want to be the best teacher, but even the best teachers had to learn what to do to become that.

I’m learning as I go.  I’m taking everything in.  I’m open to criticism.  I had probably the worst evaluation/observation that I could have ever dreamed up.  But, I’ve taken the advice from my principal and am trying to improve on that.

My biggest struggle is classroom management.  I need to be tougher.  I need to be more strict.  And I really need to be more consistent.

I also need to figure out a way of teaching that not only works for me, but works for my students.  It’s always heartbreaking as a teacher for a student to tell you (out loud, in the middle of class) that they’re bored.  I want to make my lessons interesting.  I want my students to become as passionate about health and physical activity as I am.

I’m still learning.  It’ll get better.  I’ll get better.  And hopefully, by the end of 2nd semester, I’ll finally get the hang of this whole teaching thing…

When did you feel like you finally got the hang of your first “real” job?  Any teachers have any advice on classroom management?