I have officially started my second year of teaching! It’s so crazy to be back!

A lot has changed, but a lot has also stayed the same. I’ve spent the time this summer working and learning, but I haven’t forgotten about teaching.

Teaching is like riding a bike. Once you know how to do it, you don’t really forget it. The first day last year, I got really nervous like 5 minutes before class started (especially cause we started out completely virtually). But once I got in last year, I was fine. There wasn’t any of that this year. I was ready to jump right in. We got a pretty smooth start, and I’ve gotten to meet most of my students.

In addition, a good number of my students last year have returned to the school as 8th graders. It was so exciting to see them, and I was pleased that many of them were excited to see me. Some of them ignored me, but hey, they are teenagers.

In addition, already it has become easier to plan my lessons. A lot of things I can just take and adapt. I have access to all my lesson plans from last year, so I can look at them and pick and choose what I want to keep and what I want to change.

I didn’t realize how much I actually learned this year until I came in much more prepared for this year. The first year of teaching is all about building the foundation. Every year after that is about strengthening the foundation and making things better. But you gotta start somewhere.

This year also, I’m definitely going to be branching out a little more. I’m not about to play it safe. Teaching always changes, and good teachers always adapt. I did well last year, but I want to do even better. I crafted my teaching identity, but now it’s time to keep going and growing.

I’m excited to learn my students and be able to teach them. It’s going to be a new year, but I think a good one! Here’s to the start of year 2!