June post: Cock-A-Doodle-Do You Know What You're Doing?

Watching the first years as they have entered the program, been introduced to all things teaching, and ruffled their tiny downy feathers* as they attempt the planning and execution of a lesson for the very first time, I am once again struck with the similarity and predictability of events in the life of an MTC teacher.

We all struggle. We are all terrible to begin with. We all need to work on classroom management. We all get through summer training** and start the school year unprepared, but as prepared as we can expect. We will continue to struggle with classroom management. We will show up to Saturday school tired and full of stories. We will get down in the dumps come October and November. We will relish in winter vacation - all two weeks of it. We will start January nervous once again. We will be at an all-time low in February, but will struggle through towards the bright, shining light of spring break. We will help cram for state tests, even if we are not a state tested teacher. We will be as loopy as the students in May. We will be checked out. We will encounter many role-plays-turned-real-life. We will help a new cohort of first years come out of their shell. We will rock that second year***. We will love, hate, admire, be annoyed by, get along with, burn and build bridges to students. We will be taken advantaged of - by our students, parents, and administration - because we care. We will work those extra hours. We will attend the games. We will laugh and cry with each other. We will grow with each other.

Every thing you are feeling has been, is being, and will be felt by all at one point or another. Take comfort in it.

[Cue Circle Of Life music]

*"Like many precocial hatchlings, domestic chickens are already covered with a downy coat of feathers when they hatch." - Relatively mature and mobile hatchlings that have crushed the shell separating their previous life from their teaching life, first years have yet to find their true colors, sharp beaks, or morning crowing attention-getter.

**Never acknowledging the quitters, of course. They are no longer part of the "we" - remember? It's us (the ones that will make it to the back of the second year T shirt) versus them (soon to be forgotten because you will have so many other things to do and remember).

***No one is ever Super Teacher their second year, but by comparison to the first, you will be able to think of yourself as the "Relatively Awesome and Sufficiently Competent Teacher"