How I built my "tool box"

I am starting this blog because after 21 years of teaching my "tool box" is very full. That is, it is full of how I made awesome lessons, lessons that made me feel like the worst teacher in the world, students that challenged me to know end and tools of how to make it from August to June. I have taught mostly in a Title I school. I never had the class full of Gifted and Talented (GT) students. I never had the best behaved class in the district. Being a teacher at a Title I school pulled at my heart strings and made me think out of the box daily.

This past school year I was faced with the unthinkable. I had to take a medical retirement. It still hurts even to type it. I am 44 years old and I am "retired." I was given a second chance at life due to my liver transplant in November 2018. It truly was a blessing beyond words. With that my husband, sister and dear friends continue to teach. They continue to stress over lesson plans, meetings, making time to eat lunch and when is the next holiday. For 8 months I have listened to the ups and downs of their school year. I listen to my husbands middle school drama daily. He asks my advice on how I would approach his classroom questions. After several dinners that ended with his school questions he said, "Why don't you write a book about all the things you know about teaching?" I thought to myself, I do like to write, but I don't want to write a book that sits on the shelf or in boxes like my professional books were. I want to answer questions for people that I was too proud to ask about because I am a teacher and the kids think I know everything, right? Well we don't. College prepares us with knowledge, but 7:45-3:05 prepares us for changing lives.

Many of us see these memes pop up on your social media or get a text from a colleague Sunday night before Spring Break is over. This is a reminder that the expectations are to begin at 7:45, business as usual. The reality is that doesn't happen. Remember it takes 6 weeks to form a habit and for kids it takes one day at home to forget the training from school. It is the reality so be prepared to teach where you can but above all things just listen to them. Honestly they truly missed your routine!