It's Only September...

The month is almost up and the honeymoon is definitely over. Our students' true colours are shining through, and ours are too. And an all-too-familiar feeling is starting to settle into the pits of educator stomachs. If left unchecked, this feeling can cause some serious problems. This feeling's name...is panic. Well, it's actually that nagging feeling you get before panic. Pre-panic.

 

You might be thinking the following:

"Where are all those papers with that important information I need that I got with all those other papers at the beginning of the year?"

"We still haven't mastered the routines in our classroom!" 

"I have assessments that have to be finished in 1/2/3 weeks!"

"The other class is so much farther ahead than I am!"  

"I should really be organizing that."

"Are my pants seriously on backwards right now...?"

Well that last one might be a bit far-fetched, but you get the idea. 

When I touch base with other teachers, one of their (and mine) concerns is how long it seems to take for students to follow classroom procedures. It's difficult to ignore because we need those procedures in place to help us as we teach for the rest of the year. It's so easy to become frustrated, especially when you think you sound like a broken record and, saying the same thing over and over and over and over and over....

Here's what I try to ask and remind myself of when I'm starting to feel overwhelmed in September:

1.  They're kids. All of them. From 5 to 18.  And they just came back from a two month vacation, and if I'm tired, they probably are too. 

2.  Am I just expecting too much?  There's a lot for students to adjust to this time of year. It's important for me to remind myself that I'm not the only one with a full plate. 

4. Did I explain procedures well, or did I assume they're mind readers?   Sometimes, I think they're mind readers. But they aren't. Two words. Exlpicit. Teaching.

5. Get a grip. It's only September. 

And really, that's what it comes down to for me. I can be really hard on myself because the pieces of the puzzle have not all perfectly fallen into place.  But that's not fair to me or my students. I am trying to be consistent, fair, kind, and patient because it will all work out in the end. And after all, it's only September.