first day of the fall

Favorite Student Quote of the Day: "I can only play video games for like an hour, cause then I get bored."

So I'm trying a few new things this year. I actually have a class website now. I'm doing weekly spelling tests and journaling. I feel like I've really changed as a teacher over the past few years. Well, besides the fact that it was not so long ago that I was a terrified rookie. I still feel like I'm new in so many ways but I also feel more and more comfortable in what I'm doing, each day even. It's like a perfect balance right now. I know enough to feel confident and sure of myself but I still don't know enough that it's interesting. It's like each year, I take a new step. In one way, this kind of scares me, because I don't ever want to not feel interested. I know that happens. I've seen it. In teachers I had when I was a student and in colleagues. It's not that they have nothing left to learn, it's that they were no longer interested in learning it. If that ever starts to happen to me, then it's time to move on to something else. Bur right now, I love what I'm doing. I have amazing days and I have horrible, shitty days. I have days that make me question why I ever decided to start the Teaching Program and then I have days that make me marvel at how lucky it was that I did. I constantly wonder if I'm doing a good enough job. Or if I'm teaching the right thing. In the right way. Or at the right time. I am always pondering new ideas or solutions or things to say or do or teach. But not enough, that it has taken over my life. I'm not gonna lie, I'm no Erin Gruwell. I'm never going to work two extra jobs buy classroom supplies, but I'm not bad either, I don't think. I take pride in my work and I enjoy what I do. I care very deeply about my students and about being the best teacher I can be for them.
That said, I am a very fun-loving person. I like to describe myself as big, loud, and red. I don't really know why. But my personality totally comes through in my teaching. Therefore, I'm not afraid to poke a little fun at the realm of public education, myself included. I like to see the lighter side of things. It makes life more fun, ya know. So pardon if I don't write, speak, or sound like a "proper" English teacher. I know my subject. I'm good at it. But I'm not stuffy. And somehow, it works (the Fine Arts minor probably helped a bit as well). So basically, I always end up having a good time. And sometimes, my students do too.