I get to push the reset button January 4. A whole new roster, new names to learn, a new chance to try this...
It has to get better. It has to.
In some ways, I am eager for the reset button. To mix up all the kids, to start again, especially with some classes I've struggled hard with. I'm also hoping some of my kids get a fresh start...with someone else...we got off to a bad start and things haven't been good ever since.
But in the meantime, I'm also grieving some of the relationships I'll be losing. I've made some huge relationship progress, some of them just in these past two weeks, and after all the work I've poured into all 200+ relationships I've tried to build this semester, it's daunting to think of starting again. I finally understand some of these kids, know where they're coming from, what kind of learners they are...and now have to start all over again.
This time, however, I know more than I did back in August. I know:
-how to de-escalate a situation
-common problems I will face, and a few more solutions to deal with them
-more specific questions to ask on my initial warm-up questionnaire
-more of the slang that the kids use
-more ways to connect with the kids
And the best news is that all those kids who just sit there and fail will be out. So perhaps this next semester will be easier to teach as I want to.
In the meantime, I just have each class 11 more times. Gotta make it count!!!
