June 15, 2021

What a whirlwind of a time this has been! I successfully completed a year of teaching during a pandemic. I successfully completed my 10th year teaching total. Simply finding time to write has been difficult. I sit ready to write, and something always comes up. Not that I am complaining at all!

I volunteered to teach summer school. I have tackled summer school every year that I have taught, except last year. Every year, I reach a moment on where I look at myself and go: “I volunteered for THIS?! I VOLUNTEERED for this.” and I begin to question every judgement that I have ever made. Teaching summer school is so very different than regular school. It is less structured, there is ZERO leverage, and students energy levels are through the roof! It can get very stressful.

But this is also the time that I can begin building relationships with future students, and strengthen relationships with former students. This is the best part!

I have also decided (ok maybe it was a forced decision) to become middle school certified-finally. For the last 3 years my current certification has been enough as I am certified 6th grade and teach 6th grade. However… I was “asked” to take on a couple of sections of 7th grade ELA next year along with my 6th grade groups. While I am excited about looping with many of my former students, I am also nervous about entering the world of 7th grade. In my district, some middle schools house 6-8 while others are 7-8. The curriculum for 6th grade is also a mess. Some of it is elementary curriculum and others is set for middle school. While this does not seem like a problem, it really is. Fitting all of the standards from the elementary world into the middle world is very difficult with a limited amount of minutes. At the elementary level, these standards can be brought into nearly every subject area. At the middle, I am sure that they are taught without knowing, but it is harder to assess these standards.

After using the 6th grade curriculum, I feel like I can master manipulate the standards. 7th grade may be a little more difficult. Maybe I am siking myself out.

I was also peer pressured into applying to WRITE curriculum. It is that time within my district’s cycle for new curriculum. My teaching partner- I really do love her an appreciate her- talked me into applying. She made some valid points such as: having a voice in what we teach, writing the curriculum to fit how we teach because we know it is better for kids, fixing the mess as mentioned above, and the knockout punch: I have my masters in curriculum and instruction. She had valid points. But dang it! It is such a leap out of my comfort zone!