I am

In just 6 short weeks, I will begin teaching in my very own classroom. This is both frightening and exhilarating. Today, I had the opportunity to have lunch with two of my good friends from my Master's program at ASU. We reveled in the fact that we have jobs. REAL JOBS! We will begin our careers in a VERY tough economy and getting a foot in the door now is nothing short of fantastic. They will both be teaching 8th grade English and as much as I genuinely want to be at a high school, it made me miss my sweet 7th graders:

The anxiety of being a first year teacher hasn't quite reached its peak, but its climbing. There are so many unanswered questions - so many unknowns. My school sits in a rough Phoenix neighborhood, where gang violence, poverty, and immigration problems are prevalent. Since I'll be teaching all 9th grade classes, my mind tends to roll through the curriculum, or the lessons I've done previously in an effort to mentally prepare myself.  


But nothing can really prepare you. One of my students wrote me this card after many funny moments in class - including his need to turn most of our readings into Shakespearean language. Bawth = both. And his insistence that I resemble an owl. Pretty hilarious.

I'm reminded of poetry. Ah, poetry. During student teaching, I was forced to teach an entire poetry unit -- which ironically, ended up being my favorite part of the year. It brought me back to an introductory poem assignment called the "I am" poem. Students typically create one describing themselves and another on a fictional character. We had a lot of fun with these. In an effort to "get back to it" here's one I wrote tonight on my anxiety of being a new teacher.


I am

I am ambitious and determined

I wonder if my students will like me

I hear the sounds of violence

I see struggling families

I want to put words into action

I am ambitious and determined

I pretend my confidence is unbreakable

I feel the difficult choices

I touch freedom, independence

I worry about the future

I cry for the rough road ahead

I am ambitious and determined

I understand respect is earned, not given

I say everyone is capable

I dream of being a part of the change

I try to create a positive classroom

I hope to inspire and motivate

I am ambitious and determined

I always liked this banner at Skyline High School, near my classroom. Not only does it have my initials, but it reminds me to persevere.