TeachForAmerica - Institute Day 21-End

The last two weeks of Institute were a whirlwind of activity. Mr. Wu turned 22 and there was partying. A lost student returned to my class and there was (almost) partying. I turned in a bunch of lesson plans and there was (not) partying. I turned in my last lesson plan of institute and there was (exhausted) partying. My roommate and I planned/orchestrated a prank and there was partying. Our prank was foiled and there was (not any, absolutely not) partying. I gave an assessment to my students and they all pretty much failed and there was (~, which means negation) partying. I left Thompson Elementary on Friday, July 14th and there was partying. I participated in Thompson's Follies showing, and there was partying.

So as you can see, my only excuse for not writing over the past two weeks has been a confluence of parties.

In truth, the highs of the past weeks, which include Mr. Wu's birthday, the return of Joshua (my missing student), planning our prank, and finishing Institute, were mostly lost in the shadow of the lows. The never ending sea of lesson plans were nearly drowning, but to have the prank foiled *and* almost all of my students fail the end of summer assessment was a kick in the stomach I would have preferred to avoid.

Everyone who I have talked to about becoming a teacher always says that the first year is horrible. "It was disaster" they say. I am hoping that my five weeks of little sleep and even less student success during institute will immunize me against the potential horrors of the 'first year'.

In spite of this low, or maybe even in light of this low, I am really excited to get my kids in the fall. It is a useful thing to learn that I will not accept the failure of my students. It is even more useful to learn what continuously increasing effectiveness actually looks like when put into practice, so that my students in my fall placement will be successful.

Now though, I rest. I have been sleeping 9 or 10 hours every night to make up for the 5 weeks with an average of 5 hours per night. Adam and I moved into our apartment on Saturday. I will soon own my first pieces of furniture. I acquired my first real set of wheels (I am the proud owner of a 2001 Toyota Camry!). And I start planning for the fall.