Balance. It is difficult for anyone at any age. Sure, there are those folks who have it all figured out and manage to do it all with grace. I don't know them, but I hear they exist. Maybe even beyond Instagram. I strive for balance, I constantly work for a better organization to allow for it, but at times I fail. I get back up. I learn. I adjust. I always grow and I always get better. And then I fail again. With 40 on the not-so-distant horizon, I'm comfortable in that pattern of learning and growth. I understand (even though I may not like it at times) that stumbles (and sometimes epic fails) are part of the good stuff. The stuff that allows you to stop and pat yourself on the back. But I promise you this...I did NOT have any of this figured out in Middle School.
My middle schoolers have a lot on their plates--they are in limbo as they try to navigate and balance between their arts area, academics, outside extracurriculars, family dynamics, and hopefully enjoying being 11, or 12, or 13. At times I struggle with the balance of grace and accountability. As mentioned in the first paragraph, I don't always get it right. In my life, I've sometimes had to get it wrong to figure it out for myself. But somewhere in between giving room for extra time on projects or homework and staying rigid and creating consistency is some idyllic happy pocket of holding students accountable for work, not enabling bad habits, but understanding that life happens. Everyone forgets. My question is often what is better for THAT student? To allow them to stumble or fail to give them room to experience disappointment in the hopes that they'll remember the lesson and do better because they now know better, or I am to be the soft place to land? The person that gives them that extra push and parachute at the same time. I don't always get it right. When I know I don't, I feel bad. Sometimes I get the opportunity to come back and make it right with that student. Sometimes I have to take that experience to a new day, a new class. Balance is a struggle. And the struggle is REAL. For all of us. I want my students to be individuals, to have confidence and to be capable of finding the answers for themselves--GO BACK and look in Google Classroom. But how many times do we as adults (teachers) ask for an answer before seeking out the solution, or digging through old emails ourselves? We all want easy answers sometimes. But if I've learned anything along my journey to giving myself grace and attempting to create balance in my own life, it's that the good questions never have easy answers. So, beyond this navel-gazing about balance and life I'm going to try my best to create balance in my classroom the next few weeks. 6th graders aren't always ready for the rigor of a novel study, of being pushed to evaluate an author's purpose, a chapter, a single line, the use of metaphor. So wish me luck as I try to balance reading critically with a love for reading.
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It's pretty typical that I find myself writing a blog post around the first of the school year and then suddenly, POOF!--I'm several weeks, or months, into the school year with no hint of reflection. While this is only the beginning of my 4th year teaching, it is now my third year experiencing the upheaval and stress of evacuating because of a hurricane. In years past we've left school only to return and find out that students had severe damage to their homes, leaving them to stay with family members or in some other temporary location. I'm beyond grateful that Dorian spared our coast line.
It's a hard thing to be grateful for, at the same time knowing the utter destruction that fell on the Bahamas. I have family with homes in affected parts of North Carolina as well, so while I breathe a sigh of relief, I feel a little guilty. Even though we didn't see much in the way flood waters or hurricane strength winds, it is extremely stressful to watch, wait, and anticipate. And while we, as adults, try to shield our children from that angst, it is surely impossible that they don't harbor some of it as well. That's why I'm excited--even though today was rough--to get back into the normalcy and routine of school. I'm ready to read more stories, unpack the author's meaning, and dive into rich informational text. My Communication Arts classes are back to really cool research, posters, and two page layouts. Plus, 6th grade will finally complete their History of Communication notes (and the class goes wild!) so we can move on to color theory, typography, graphic design, and eventually, FILM! So yes, that did just happen. What was a three day weekend turned into a full week off. I called it my Thanksgiving break and tried to make the most out of our evacuation time in Atlanta with my three-year old and eight-year old by visiting the Fernbank Museum and taking in a Braves game. I saw a current student at the museum and several former students that are now SOPHOMORES at the Braves game. It was nice to still feel connected to students and school even when we were away. Wonderful. Exciting. Overwhelming. Exhausting. Those are the first few words that come to mind when I think of how I would describe the first week back to school. Already, we seem to be settling in and rolling into projects in Communication Arts and new reading pieces in ELA.
I'm excited to have familiar and new faces joining the broadcast crew this year. As we iron out roles, technology issues, and all the things that come with producing a morning show in the span of twenty minutes, I rest easy knowing that I have some very dedicated and hard working students showing up in my classroom every morning. Whether you are new to Garrison this year, or you have been here since you started your education journey, I hope you are having a great year so far. And know that I'm excited that each and every one of YOU is in my class. I can't tell you how much I love watching you all grow and mature from 6th grade to 8th grade. Until next time... |
AuthorIt's me. Your teacher. Your child's teacher. Mrs. Wells. Archives
October 2019
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