Tag: classroom

Always Plan in Pencil

Always Plan in Pencil

by suzannamoberg ♥ 4 Comments

Ah, the age old question of how to start a blog post after an almost six month hiatus. I think the answer is don’t take said hiatus…well, now I know for next time?! 😉

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This blog post has been in the making for half of that break. I took summer to travel, spend quality time with family and friends, and relax after the craziness that was my first year of teaching.

Sitting down to write this post (which, let’s be honest, has been less “sit down and write” and more “I have an idea for a blog post better jot it down in my notes app”) had me thinking a little more about my “goals” for this blog.

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When I first started this platform, my mind ran with the possibilities. I thought I could share fun stories, lesson plans, classroom management strategies, and teacher tips. In theory, all of my stories and posts could help struggling college students who need ELA ideas for lesson plans and new teachers, like myself, who want to make their English classroom engaging and fun.

I looked over all the notes I’ve been taking in my six months off (and trust me, there are lots), and I realized none of those potential posts fit the “ideal blog” space I’d created in my head. It wasn’t positive and uplifting stories. There were no great lesson plans that revolutionized the art of teaching ELA. I had no great classroom management strategies or teacher tips for engagement or relationship building.

Instead, my potential posts felt more like cries for help. Begging for ideas, suggestions, strength, and relief.

How? How, only three months into year number two, am I already feeling so broken?

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I think the main reason for my long break is that I wasn’t ready to admit that my journey as a teacher hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, in my darkest moments, it’s been hard to see any sunshine or imagine the possibility of a rainbow.

It’s been so easy to see other teachers post on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok about the great things happening in their classroom. It’s been so easy to compare myself and my classroom to those pictures and feel disheartened that I’m not having that same experience.

I don’t want this blog to turn into a sob story. A space for one very stressed new teacher to complain and whine.

I do think, however, that it’s important to be honest about my experience. If ever this post comes across the feed of another young, stressed teacher, I want him/her/them to know they aren’t alone – even if it feels like it.

In case ^ they come across this post, here are the two pieces of advice I feel qualified to give at this point in my teaching journey:

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1. When it comes to teaching, always plan in pencil.

Here’s what I mean:

– don’t shell out the few extra dollars for the personalized planner with each class printed at the top of page. While cute and, at the time, practical, you never know if your schedule will get changed the week before classes start (or the first day of professional development before classes start). Taking an extra minute to hand-write your classes on the page looks and feels better than having to cross out the printed class to write the new one over it. Always plan in pencil.

– when an activity you spent hours planning and prepping crashes and burns (or your students just refuse to even begin the project), it’s easier to go back and redo your unit if you can just erase the initial ideas in the planner and start over. Always plan in pencil.

– if, after three months, your classroom management strategies still aren’t working, it’s easier to brainstorm new ideas and adjust the policies and procedures if you can go back to the master plan in your notebook and erase (plus, sometimes all that erasing can be therapeutic). Always plan in pencil.

2. When it comes to you, always plan in Sharpie.

And I mean those *huge* Sharpies that you’d use on a poster. Outline it, underline it, go over it twice, and use lots of colors.

– YOU are more important than pencil marks in a planner.

– YOU are more important than crashed lesson plans or units that change every day.

– YOU are more important than students who challenge you and push you to your limits.

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In the last year, my plans and goals for this blog have shifted and changed, and I’m sure that they will every year as I learn and grow as a teacher. For this blog, I will plan in pencil.

In the last year, my plans and goals for myself as a teacher have shifted and changed. But my value and importance as a person have stayed rock solid. I am important. I am worthy. And I am meant to be a teacher. For myself, I will write in Sharpie.

Adjusting Expectations

Adjusting Expectations

by suzannamoberg ♥ 2 Comments

At the end of class I save some time to ask my students for any last-minute questions, comments, or concerns that they have that weren’t addressed earlier in class. This allows them time to ask me about material we covered in class today, questions they have about homework, or even just time for us to chat (because that’s what we would do if we were in our physical classroom!).

So the other day I asked for student questions, comments, or concerns, and one student answered (through the chat because we haven’t quite graduated to unmuting and answering):

“Nothing it was a good lesson”

And y’all. I about fainted.

A good lesson??!!

For real??!!

It took me a moment to adjust and accept what that sweet, sweet student had just typed.

Because honestly? It didn’t feel like a good lesson to me.

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Let me backtrack a little with some background information that I feel is relevant for the rest of this post.

Earlier this month my school had a weeklong fall break, so I packed up and headed home to North Dakota to get some much-needed family time. I stayed for an extra week and gave my students a tour of some of my very favorite places including, but not limited to,

  • My grandpa’s house
  • Badlands Ministries
  • The Brew

(On a completely unrelated note, if anyone wants to start a Nashville chain of that amazing little place please let my roommate and I know. Serious inquires only.)

  • My parent’s kitchen

While I was home, I did what any normal person would do: I got coffee every day from some of my favorite coffee places, I ate at some of my favorite restaurants, and I spent time with some of my favorite people.

And I learned a few things:

  1. Coronavirus is no joke and it’s not that fun to get. 10/10 do not recommend.
  2. Even first year teachers need a break.

For me, that break was a perfect time to step back, reevaluate, and reflect on how my first quarter had gone (don’t worry—I did some relaxing, too 😊).

I looked at my assignments. I looked at my lessons. I looked at my gradebooks. Something wasn’t quite lining up.

Until I got some advice:

“Have you looked at your expectations?”

Um…yes? Maybe? I don’t know?

I do know this:

  • I know what I’m expecting compared to the expectations that other teachers of this same subject have in their classes.

Seems like a pretty reasonable expectation to have.

  • I know what I’m expecting based on my past experience.  

There is it.

This is nothing like my past experience, but I was still setting expectations for my students and myself based on what I’d experienced in the past.

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It is okay to adjust my expectations.

It is okay to adjust my expectations of what being a teacher looks like, because the rose-colored glasses I was wearing looked cute but were not practical for long-term 😉.

It is okay to adjust my expectations of what my classroom looks like, because I’m a first-year teacher and I need to stick to a budget.

It is okay to adjust my expectations of what student engagement looks like, because I don’t know the students behind the screens and most of them are trying their best.

It is okay to adjust my expectations of what class in a Microsoft Teams meeting looks like, because virtual is different from in-person, but learning is still fun.

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When that student told me:

“Nothing it was a good lesson”

We hadn’t done anything fancy. We hadn’t done anything earth-shattering. We were practicing end rhyme and labeling rhyme scheme by writing our own elementary-level poems and labeling them.

(Most of the poems centered around cats being hit with bats and frogs being kicked off logs and part of me is concerned but part of me is impressed they mastered the skill…adjusted expectation?).

They laughed (it was in the form of “lol” and “haha,” but I’ll take it). They responded to each other. They responded to me.

They had fun.

They learned.

It is okay to adjust my expectations.

So, sweet student, you are right.

It was a good lesson.

Asking For Me

Asking For Me

by suzannamoberg ♥ 3 Comments

It’s midterms for my students and let me tell you what: emotions are high in my classroom.

We’ve got the students who did a lot of work all semester so they’d be able to slack off at the end (honestly, I can’t really be mad at this one—they’re still passing).

We’ve got the students who slacked off all semester so they’re overwhelmed at the end (not as smart a move, but hey, procrastinators unite).

 We’ve got the students who still haven’t showed up to a single class meeting.

And then there’s me, barely hanging on to the thin, thin, and I mean thin strand holding our class together right now.

Teachers: how do you do it?!

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I’ve read the books and the blog posts. I’ve watched the TikToks (don’t judge, “Teacher Tech Tip” videos are genuinely wonderful!). I know that it’s important to set boundaries. I know that self-care is important.

But how.

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“Self-care” is a not word I’m unfamiliar with. When I worked at a summer camp, I preached this to my staff every summer when sleep hours were low and emotions were high. I’ve comforted friends and loved ones and reminded them that it’s okay to make time to care for yourself.

It’s easy to say that to other people. It’s easy to read it in a book and highlight that passage and nod along thinking “these are great ideas and I’ll definitely put these into practice in my own life.” Only it’s really hard to actually put them into practice in my own life.

How many times have I said “I’m done for the night” only to move to the couch and answer more emails from my phone?

How many times have I said “You know what, I’ll do this in the morning” only to keep working at 1:00 AM because my to-do list kept me from falling asleep?

How many times have I cancelled plans with my family and friends because I had to grade or plan?

The answer to those questions is “too many times to count.”

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I’ve tried.

I’ve filled my phone screen with esthetically pleasing motivational quotes (that iOS14 update is a game changer!)…just to replace them with reminder, calendar, and email widgets.

I’ve drawn up a bath, lit a candle, grabbed snacks (FYI Dots Pretzels do not float when dropped in water), and put on nice music…just to answer emails because the constant buzz from my phone was stressing me out.

I purchased a journal to keep next to my bed for all the emotional stories that need somewhere to go that isn’t my head and my heart…just to use that journal to make middle-of-the-night-to-do lists for school.

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Teachers, friends, family, strangers on the internet:

How do you set boundaries?

How do you create a self-care routine?

How do you balance teaching and living?

Bonus Question: how do you keep those boundaries, routines, and balance?

Asking for a friend.

Me.

The Power of a Smile

The Power of a Smile

by suzannamoberg ♥ 1 Comment

A student smiled at me today!

Well…I don’t know if she actually smiled or if it was one of those “I have no response but I’ll send a smiley face and an lol anyways” moments, but she sent me a smiley face emoji in the online call chat after I made some corny joke.

I’m taking it as a win.

A student smiled at me today!

And I genuinely can’t stop grinning about it.

Like for real. Ear to ear, teeth showing, its kind of making my cheeks hurt, grin. All over a little smiley emoji.

I didn’t realize how much I needed, and I mean physically needed, that smiley face emoji.

In my virtual classroom, cameras are encouraged but not required. Those students didn’t ask for me to invade their space, the home that used to be their private sanctuary away from the school building. They didn’t ask for me to enter their bedroom or their living room or whatever space they’ve made into their temporary online classroom (for me, teaching from my office/bedroom has forced me to start making my bed every day which is a win for adulthood amiright).

But I want to invade those spaces.

That makes me sound creepy or like a stalker, and I don’t mean it that way at all. But I want to see who they are and where they are. Partly because I’m nosy and I want to make sure they aren’t napping or at McDonalds getting lunch, but mostly because I want to see them smiling (or not smiling) at my jokes. I want to see when they roll their eyes as I sing a random (but usually applicable) TikTok song or do my attempt at a popular dance. I want to see their faces as I teach to know if they’re understanding the concepts or if they’re zombies just there to get the attendance credit.

I didn’t realize how important such a small thing like seeing student’s faces would be.

We talked a lot in my teacher prep program about how crucial building relationships with your students is. How diligent a teacher must be about learning and using student’s names. How “building relationships” extends beyond who they are as students and into who they are as people.

But we didn’t talk about what to do when you can’t build relationships with your students.

If my student’s never ever turn on their camera or speak up in class or turn in any assignments, how do I build a relationship with them?

Unfortunately, in this world of many un-answerable questions, that is a problem that I have not yet solved.

A student smiled at me today!

And that smile meant more than she will ever know.  

Defeated

Defeated

by suzannamoberg ♥ 1 Comment

I felt defeated today.

Well, defeated might not be the right word.

I felt frustrated. Discouraged. Exhausted.

Over a 50-minute virtual class.

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As a first-year teacher—bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and naïve—this is not what I imagined my first year of teaching would be. There was supposed to be a Pinterest-perfect classroom set up for group work and flexible seating. There were supposed to be students in the desks. There was supposed to be discussion and collaboration. Inside jokes and laughter. Engagement and learning.

I never pictured a blank classroom with empty desks that face forward and are spaced as far apart as possible.

I never pictured preparing for a school year only to find out that plans were changing (almost weekly) and I’d be teaching virtually for at least two more months.

I never pictured my students appearing only as small little boxes on a computer screen never to be seen or heard from once they’ve entered the meeting.

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I like to be in control, and in my COVID classroom, there is no such thing as control.

How do you manage a classroom when your classroom is spread out into 40 different households?

How do you adjust wait time when your students are probably napping and are definitely not listening to any question you’re asking?

(I had a real life “Bueller? Bueller?” moment today and it was definitely not as funny as the movie made it out to be).  

How do you engage students who have decided that virtual school is the worst thing that could possibly happen to them?

How do you sympathize with the seniors who feel robbed of all the “lasts” that were supposed to come with this year?

(Because guess what? I feel robbed, too.)

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So much new. So much different. It’s taking a while for me to accept that new and different do not equal bad.

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I felt defeated today.

But I won’t feel defeated every day.

And for now?

That’s just going to have to be enough.

First Day of School as a Teacher

First Day of School as a Teacher

by suzannamoberg ♥ 1 Comment

Today a student asked a question and I genuinely forgot that I was the one who was supposed to answer.

It wasn’t a hard question or one that was above my paygrade (although, with everything changing every day due to the pandemic, most questions are above my paygrade).

It wasn’t a trick question meant to mess with my head or make me look dumb in front of my students.

A student simply asked me what they could expect from this course.

And I sat. I nodded. I acknowledged that it was a good question. And then I waited for the teacher to answer.

Only…

I’m the teacher.

What.

I’d like to say I recovered smoothly, but this is a space to be honest, and, honestly, I did not recover smoothly. After what felt like 7 ½ years of awkward silence, I stumbled my way through an answer about a “variety of assessment tools” and “a little bit of everything.” The students still probably have no clue what to expect this year, but *spoiler alert* neither do I.

I have no clue what this year looks like for us. My school is opting for a virtual classroom environment the first few months of school until the COVID cases in our area begin to decrease. Unfortunately, my teacher prep program didn’t quite get to the “How to Prepare for Your First School Year As a Teacher When You Might Be Teaching Online and Also In Person and Also Maybe Probably Both All During A Global Pandemic” chapter in our textbook.

I have no clue where to begin. The other teachers at my school are amazing (and I truly mean amazing), but I have so many questions that I don’t even know what questions I have any more. I didn’t get access to my curriculum until 2 days before school started and I have no clue where to start. I keep looking at this blank Schoology folder and hoping that magically some great, engaging, standards-based lessons will just appear. Maybe I’ll keep drinking this Stella Peach until they do 😉 Ha!

Anyways, stay tuned as I hopefully figure out how to lesson plan—and how to not panic when I remember that I’m the teacher now. Happy back to school!