I can categorically state I've learned waaaay more from my students these last six weeks (wow! Already?) than they've learned from me.
Here's what I've learned so far.
1. What swag is.
2. How to break up a fight. (In theory-practice to follow).
3. How to use the non-user-friendly gradebook program.
4. 220 people's names (and this number doesn't include administrators and fellow teachers)
5. If I'm not calling at least 3-4 parents a day about something (behavior, grades, whatever) I'm going to get swamped.
6. What a "hall freeze" is.
7. How to use Angel (another gradebook-ish program).
8. How to keep my cool while being doused in profanity.
9. How to unjam the copier in C112 as I make my own copies.
10. What the implications truly are of a 52% free and reduced lunch school.
11. How much longer it takes to pass back 38 papers than it used to take to pass back 20 papers.
12. What Lil Wayne's face looks like on a t-shirt.
13. How to write a Dean's Referral. (Lots of practice on this one).
14. How far praise at the right moment can go.
15. How to add an automatic email signature in Lotus Notes.
Oh, but I've still got a long way to go!! Here are things I now know that I need to learn.
1. How to motivate kids to do the basics--like bring both their book and workbook to class every day. This is seriously the biggest struggle I face, and I don't know how to win that war.
2. How to motivate my 7/8 period class.
3. How to not take things quite so personally. (I'm progressing, but more learning needs to be done in this area.)
4. How to cope with this one girl I have last period--I've never met anyone like her, and she is vicious and explosive.
5. Where to go to buy a Coke when I need some extra energy--I bring my food from home and eat at my desk. Not even quite sure where the Coke machines are.
6. How to discipline so that the kids KNOW it's from love and in their best interest.
7. How to tell if someone is really telling the truth--these kids are really good liars, and lie even about basic get-to-know-you questions sometimes (just "playin'" but it's still lying).
8. How to deal with the subtle rebellion that flares up every time I cross the will of a few students and ask them to do things my way rather than their way.
9. How to give (desperately needed) individual attention to twelve people simultaneously.
10. How to truly let God's strength show itself in my weakness.
The culture shock is wearing off. I don't do a double-take when I see someone give a quick kiss in the hallway, much less when I see people holding hands. I can understand more of what I hear. I've learned what to expect from everyone.
It seems odd that I'm not picking up and moving now. For the last year, I moved on to something else once a month, if not more frequently. But (today at least) I'm glad I'm not moving on just yet. I'm starting to figure things out, just starting to learn, and just starting to make the connections.
