Cue music. Blow the horns. Get ready for it....
As of yesterday, I was teaching this grade:
I have been asked a few times to move up to third floor and strut my stuff, so I said yes. I was scared people! I am not gonna lie, I teach 6-7 year olds, what the heck do you do with kids 6 years older???? I ask you, do 7th graders like Junie B. Jones, making Mother's Day cards, walking in a straight line, well do they? I could do this, I thought. They must be like big first graders, only smellier and attitudier (my word, but it sounds about right). 7th grade English Language Arts, this is the stuff dreams are made of. I will finally have a class stand on their desks and recite "Oh Captain, My Captain". I will be the teacher they love. I will be the bomb. I will be shorter than them. I will be scared of them. I think I can do this. Well, maybe not.
So, I text my AP and chicken out. Yeah, you heard me, I chickened out. Cluck. Cluck. So as of today I am teaching this grade:
These kids love me and they are smaller (even the picture I found is smaller than the one up there ^^^^^). I can breathe again and I can get back to creating this summer. I am back on track. Go first grade! Yeah me.
Now what to do with all of the middle school stuff I pinned when I was teaching 7th grade for the last 4 days!
OH! I'm a former first grade teacher (three long years in first grade!) who now teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. I *LOVE* my middle schoolers and feel like this is where I'm meant to be!
ReplyDeleteI sincerely think that having taught elementary first (also 4th grade) before coming to middle school makes me a better middle school teacher. I'm better at differentiating and understanding learning (especially READING) difficulties. AND I always decorate my classroom cute and attractively!
BUT I'm glad that you made the right decision for you! 6 grades is a HUGE jump.. and middle schoolers CAN be scary! ;)
Erin
I'm Lovin Lit
I am happy to see that the jump can be made, eventually. As long as I get to stop somewhere in between, I would have no problem making the move. Thanks for the info, I do think us elementary teachers have the upper hand in teaching other grade levels.
DeleteI don't blame you. I would have chickened out too! It would be a huge jump, but I have to assume you are one FABULOUS teacher if they have been asking you over and over. They know what a difference that would be, but they must know you can do it. I've heard what Erin says is true. I've heard that teaching a younger grade makes you an even better teacher in the older grades.
ReplyDeleteI guess this truly does make you "Faithful in First"! Ha ha! ;0)
DeleteFunny enough, I was even stressed about changing my blog name. I came up with an addition to the name so I wouldn't have to take off the Faithful in First, lol. I am sure the jump will be made one day, but for now I am faithfully staying where I am!
DeleteI love this post! I taught 3rd grade for 11 years and then volunteered to move up just one grade to 4th. Even that small move caused a lot of anxiety. In the end, I loved it and found it to be very reinvigorating professionally. Having said that, I can't imagine going from 1st all of the way to 7th! Maybe try 4th first to test the waters! :)
ReplyDeleteJustin Knight- Writing Pad Dad
Writing Pad Dad Blog
I have taught K-5, so I have moved quite a few times. A few of those moves were within one year, so I was filled with anxiety during those moves. I love 2nd and 4th, so if I ever move again I would hopefully get to stop there first. Who knows what the future holds, I am just happy to not make the jump from 6 year olds to 12 year olds in one year!
DeleteI started out teaching middle school since 2000 and was involuntarily (not kicking and screaming though, just hesitant) moved to first grade 2 years ago and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!
ReplyDeleteFirst Grade Frame of Mind
I have heard from some others that the backwards jump isn't as bad as the forward move, so I am so glad you love first grade! Be careful though, once you say it out loud the grade changing gods come in and sweep you out without even asking!
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