This post is a bit rambling, but I want to try to focus on what has been going well instead of feeling down on what has not been going as well. I was always told that the first year of teaching is the hardest. I had no idea that the second year would be so much easier. Not that it is easy, but I feel less overwhelmed. I know how to fill out requisitions, where everything is (almost), what observations are like, etc. I've learned when I can say no and how to politely ask for things to change. My students are mine; I'm not constantly being compared to Ms. V. Those who don't like me dropped my class or graduated. I'm less intimidated by my students.
I've also made improvements to lessons based on what I observed last year. I've been giving more feedback to my beginning students and trying to focus on why I do what I do. They have started to figure out that I give assignments the way I do for a reason and can often figure out what that reason is. So there is a lot less griping about assignments then there was last year. My kids are also shutting each other up. They'll call out "wait for quiet" when performers start to introduce themselves before everyone else shuts up. It's a rule I put in and they are starting to enforce. I haven't had to call home on anyone or had out a detention. I'm pretty sure I had done both by this time last year.
I feel like these are my students now. I'm pushing my more advanced students to fix focus and characterization problems I had last year. I was too overwhelmed to fix them and just got frustrated. But they can't do what they were never taught.
I'm struggling with keeping motivated myself and not getting frustrated by chatting. I need to find new ways to stop the talking. I haven't gotten my temper where I want it to be yet. I let things get under my skin too easily. But next month is about being positive, so hopefully I can work on that.
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