Lesson Gone Wrong

For those of you who have worked with me before, you know one of the things I constantly do is reflect. Where did I go wrong? What could I have done differently? What worked and gave me that giddy holy-crap-they’re-really-getting-it feeling? What could be improved? What? What? What? I’m constantly asking myself these questions as a first-year teacher. What can I do to improve myself going into the next year of teaching? I constantly am on the lookout for websites that will help me hone my craft of teaching. One of my favorite ones is Teaching Channel. I can watch a video and see how another teacher approaches a concept, the tools they use, and the techniques they implement in the classroom for student engagement. Teaching Channel recently began a new series called Tchr’s Cut and I just watched the first video. I love, LOVE this series already. Veteran teachers are discussing what goes on in the background of the videos posted on Teaching Channel and provides us with a look at the sometimes dirty business of teaching. This series makes me feel wonderful as a first-year teacher because I know that even veteran teachers make mistakes. None of us are perfect, but we are all looking at becoming better teachers. My favorite thing about this series is being able to see these veteran teachers reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how they can improve their teaching in future lessons. Here’s the link:

This first year of teaching has been a series of dramatic highs and lows for me and I’ll be the first to admit that I’m mentally counting down the days until summer. However, I’m also encouraged that even though I have been frustrated, even though I have felt I haven’t taught students well, even though I sometimes feel like a total failure as a teacher, I also know that I’m looking at these experiences through the lens of a new teacher. I’ve been praised as a teacher who has done very well for a first-year teacher, that I work well with my consulting teacher, that I show a positive attitude in wanting to better myself as a teacher, and I have good relationships with my students. This fall I’ll be starting a new phase of my teaching career which really excites me. Here’s to the next few years of my teaching adventure!