Rich Henderson's Diary
The First 180 Days

Rich's Diary: It's Over!

Week 39

Can you hear her? You know who I'm talking about -- the "voluptuous one." She's singing! That means it is over. My first year of teaching has come to an end. The grades are closed, the report cards have been handed out, Field Day is over, and my class -- my first class -- is moving on to sixth grade. It has been quite a year.

The end of the school year came fast and furiously. Since the beginning of May, the school-wide atmosphere started to change, and time seemed to pass at an incredible rate. Students became less focused on school and more focused on summer. Activities and assemblies seemed to increase at an alarming rate, causing constant changes in our daily schedules. Girls started liking boys, and boys started showing off for girls. Teaching 23 students whose thoughts were on a variety of topics, none of them school related, became more challenging. We made it through all those distractions, though, and even had some fun in the process.

Field Day was one of those fun times. My class participated in several different activities, from the limbo and the balloon toss to throwing water-soaked sponges at one another -- and at me. The kids had a blast! It was certainly a memorable end-of-year activity.

Memorable is also the perfect way to describe my first year. Looking back, I realize I'm not the same teacher I was in September. Through many conversations with students, teachers, parents, and administrators, I learned a great deal about my role as a teacher.

I learned that patience is indeed a virtue. The uniqueness of each child and the individual challenges he or she faced, demanded patience -- the patience to act in a situation rather than react to it. Patience created a more-productive and helpful classroom environment.

I learned that no two students learn in the same way or at the same pace -- each child listens, interprets, and absorbs information in a way that works best for him or her. I needed to develop a variety of teaching skills to make sure my lessons reached every student.

Finally, I learned that I have much more to learn about being a teacher. Each day brought new challenges. Whether those challenges involved lessons, student behavior, or parent interactions, each situation required careful thought and consideration. For a first-year teacher, many of those experiences were new, and I learned as I experienced them.

Being a first-year teacher posed many challenges but delivered many rewards. The most satisfying was the interaction with my students. I taught them lessons, and they taught me to be a better teacher. I'll never forget them or this year. I know I am a better person -- and a better teacher -- for the experience.

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Rich Henderson
Education World®
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