Getting Better: Good Things This Week

I'm pulling out of my depression slump, which is good. By Thursday I was able to get back to teaching full lessons. Not that I was letting my classes run wild before that, but it was more rehearsal time then I wanted to give them. Now they are back to learning new skills.

It's been a pretty good week. On my end, I've been able to incorporate some of the positive things I wanted to during this month. I had a fun experience with pointing out to my students what they had done and letting them realize themselves what a good thing that was. We were practicing projection in the auditorium in beginning drama. I stood at the back to see if I could hear each person individually. Instead of saying "Good job" I just said "I could hear each of you at the back of the auditorium." One of my students said, "Wait, really?" and then everyone cheered. They found a sense of accomplishment themselves. It was cool!

Some other positive things that happened this week (I don't remember which day things happened):

• I found out the police officer that is assigned to our campus has a theatre background. He has acted and worked as a technical director. He offered to help out if I ever needed it. I just think that is cool and I'm plotting ways to get him involved. 
• I got really positive feedback during my post-observation conference with my vice principal. He seemed really impressed with my classroom management and told me all the students he talked to knew exactly what they were learning and why they were doing what they were doing. Last year I felt like I didn't do a great job at communicating why we were doing what we were doing, so it's nice to feel like that is changing. 
• I talked to my vice principal about being more positive in my classroom. He told me that it is okay to show a happier, funnier, more relaxed side to my students. I do not handle embarrassment or being laughed at well and so being willing to relax and be silly in front of my students is hard for me. But I tried really hard to relax, to remember my students are still kids and to let them know it's okay to have fun. I feel like I was able to accomplish that in some classes. I didn't get nearly as frustrated as I have in the past (although I need to work on it with my intermediate class) and it felt nice. 
• I got all sorts of props for my show in October! Since ordering can take forever, I'm stocked I have all my stuff! 
• I had a student come to me in tears about some stuff at home. That is not good, but I want my students to know they can come to me. Some of them don't have a lot of support and I want to to be that for them if I can. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in minutia that I lose that, so I'm glad I was able to be a support to her.