Starting Anew

I'm not going to deny that I've kind of fallen out of love with my job over the last few years. Like so many others, I began my career all bright-eyed and wanting to be like Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society (you know, before all the bad stuff happens). Instead, 7 years later, I find that I'm getting dangerously close to becoming Mr. DeMartino from Daria.

I'm not going to make excuses for myself either, however. I know that I have not done all that I could do to be the best teacher that I could be.

Every year, I hope that it will be a different year. A better year. One of the beauties of being a teacher, in my opinion, is that every year is a chance to start over - new batch of students, new chances to make things right. New opportunities to rediscover why I got into this racket in the first place.

This year really will be different - I'm teaching honors freshmen again for the first time in about four years. And I have three sections of them. I mean no slight against the regular-level freshmen I have taught, but it's a different ballgame when the kids have the motivation and the skills for me to carry out some of my more dastardly lesson ideas =P

Sharper kids require a sharper teacher, though. This is no time for me to be a tired, jaded cynic of a teacher. This year is presenting me with new opportunities to push the envelope and try new things. I need to seize these opportunities. I need to rise to the occasion.

So, tomorrow starts a new year. And I'm ready. I've spent all summer being inspired to achieve derby greatness, and now my summer "fling" needs to transfer back to school.