The beginning approacheth...

One of the things that I really love about teaching is that I get to start new every fall. Or late summer, depending on how picky you are. Teaching is unique in the sense that what we do has a beginning, a middle, and a definite end. I used to work as an assistant in a tourism office when I was in grad school, I know from what I speak here - there is NO end. Sure, we would finish projects, but then we'd go on to another almost immediately, or rather, we would shift our attention to that project that had already begun much around the same time as the one just completed. But with teaching, you get an end, a break, and a fresh start. I will have all new students this year. I'm also hoping to have some of the same kids I had last year - several of my World History students told me they signed up for AP Psych. Since I'm teaching 3 of the 5 sections offered this year, odds are better than 50% that I'll get a few of them. This is great, because I liked those kids. But back to the new.

Of course, I'm always overly optimistic. "This year I'm going to be the perfect teacher," I tell myself. "I'm going to call parents when there's a problem immediately! I'm going to be so creative with my lessons! I'm going to plan more than two days ahead. I will have great tests and even better essays with fabulous rubrics with which to grade said essays. I will use all the right techniques, and my students will love my classes." Ha ha ha! Well, I should know from experience (this being the beginning of year 5) that that shit ain't gonna happen. But I'll be better than last year. And I will be more creative in some senses. I will use some of the same lessons, but they'll be improved. And dammit, this year I am going to use good rubrics, because it's all about the rubric. What is a rubric? Well, there are all kinds of definitions, none of which really apply, but the way teachers use them is that they are basically something that lists attributes that qualify the writing, project, etc., as an "A", "B", "C", etc. paper. Here is an example: Essay Rubric It's a really good one, by the way, thanks to the author of this one!!!

So while I am sad that my vacation is over (although no students next week, it's just teachers), I am looking forward to the New Year. It will be different, certainly - we have two new teachers, and an interim department chair, but that's part of the reason it's so much fun.