How Far We've Come
On Wednesday my students took the last state exam of the year for science. As a technique to help calm their nerves I asked them to think of all the things they had learned in science this year. They talked about adaptations, ecosystems, animal behaviors and more. I know they were still very nervous, but it helped them put things in perspective as they headed into the test.
This week I'm planning on taking a few days off to see my new nephew. I feel very nervous about it. It's a major test for me and my students. How will they behave while I'm gone and how well have I prepared them and the classroom environment for my (semi-)prolonged absence. As nervous as I am I realized I had to put things into perspective for myself too.
So I thought about how much I've learned since September and how much things have changed. It's funny to think how much I dreaded going into school in the morning. I literally used to feel sick to my stomach. Now I actually wish I wasn't missing three days of school. As I grade homework and look over reflections on their science exams I feel pride and affection. I still feel apprehensive about leaving for three days, but I also feel better, knowing how far we've come as a class since the fall.
This week I'm planning on taking a few days off to see my new nephew. I feel very nervous about it. It's a major test for me and my students. How will they behave while I'm gone and how well have I prepared them and the classroom environment for my (semi-)prolonged absence. As nervous as I am I realized I had to put things into perspective for myself too.
So I thought about how much I've learned since September and how much things have changed. It's funny to think how much I dreaded going into school in the morning. I literally used to feel sick to my stomach. Now I actually wish I wasn't missing three days of school. As I grade homework and look over reflections on their science exams I feel pride and affection. I still feel apprehensive about leaving for three days, but I also feel better, knowing how far we've come as a class since the fall.
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