Year One = Done

Wow! This year has flown by! I'm finished with my first official year of teaching and I could not have enjoyed it more. I have grown so much as a teacher and learned a lot as well.

The end of the year was super busy as I suppose all of them usually are. There were class field trips, on which I was called upon to be a chaperone, spring concerts, awards ceremonies, end-of-year assessments, updating of IEPs and other documents, graduation, and packing up my classroom to prepare for a move to name just a few things.

I did so much this year and it can seem like a blur so I'm glad that I've been updating this blog and also writing fairly frequently in my own personal journal. But to sum it up, I went on my first mission trip as a leader, participated in the school's production of Oliver!, went to Africa(!), attended an education conference, found a church, and so much more.

As I look back on the first year, there were many highs and lows but overall it was a great year. All of my students grew and met most of their academic goals on the growth testing we do at the beginning and end of the school year. There were times I wanted to pull my hair out because I couldn't understand why they didn't understand that 2x2=4. There were times I wanted to shout for joy because they were finally able to retell a story in order with details after we'd read the story for the week. It was a year of learning how to best reach students who come from different cultural backgrounds and interacting with their parents to show them God's love. One thing that I've heard more than any other is how grateful the parents are that the teachers at ICSV are invested in their students and genuinely care about how they are doing. I have one student whose mother loves ICSV and every time I see her, she praises the school and teachers because her daughter loves coming to school and has a much more positive attitude than before at her previous school. I'm so glad that I can be part of this school community that is making a positive difference in the lives of these students. I love them so much and I can't wait to see them again next year. However, I'm ready for a break where I can rest and rejuvenate to get ready for next school year.