Half-way there...

Next week is my half-way point of student teaching to graduation in April. Trust me I am keeping count! The experience started out a little shaky (which I heard from all my teacher peers that it's normal), but I am really starting to feel confidence in myself as a teacher. For all those who are not teachers, let me tell you... you have no idea how much work, time, and effort teachers put into the classroom. I have never ever been so exhausted in all my life... AND I am never done; the work never stops (well, until summer). On top of all the papers and test to grade and the time-consuming, mentally frustrating lesson planning, I have my own college classes every Wed. night and a huge load of senior projects to finish by graduation. As bad as it all seems sometimes (and yes teaching has made me cry), I am finding more and more that I really enjoy the job.
I love the funny stuff that students say, or when they actually enjoy the lesson and seriously, teachers do care if you like it... I try so hard to interest students and it is a little depressing when my lesson falls flat.
You definitely have to have your wits about you in this job... one day I was doing a mind game with the students and they had to multiply 5 and 9, and under the pressure I was, I quickly shouted out that is was 35 (which it isn't). So, one of the students corrected me and we all had a good laugh about how it's good I am an English teacher and not teaching math.
Well I wanted to post more, but my fourth period is about to start so guess I will catch up later.