What. A. Week.

Let me catch you up.

School officially started the Tuesday after Labor Day, but the district was closed the first two days because of high temperatures (old buildings, no AC). My first day was Thursday of that week, with only a few kiddos (Kindergarten starts gradually). I was out that Friday for a friend’s wedding. Monday of this past week was the last day of rolling start. Then Tuesday to Friday I had all my kiddos.

The rolling start days were simple: introduce the kids to the classroom and school, get a few routines started. The hope is that by the time they all start, most will know the general idea of how the classroom is going to be run and how to get around the school.

Tuesday, with all of my kiddos, was a really frustrating day. I was exhausted by the end. Coming from first grade, I don’t think I was naive to the fact that Kindergarten would be different. I just think that I didn’t realize just how different it would be. It’s one thing to take a class that has experienced routines and procedures before and get them started on your routines and procedures. It’s another thing to take a class that has never experienced school at all and try to get them started on routines and procedures.

Kindergartners are so little! I knew I would have to “dummy down” everything that I did in first grade. But it didn’t hit me how much I would need to until I had all these tiny lives in my classroom for the first time. Tuesday I came home tired and frustrated. I kept reminding myself that it would get better, that each day they will know and understand more than they did the day before.

Wednesday was better than Tuesday. Thursday was better than Wednesday. And Friday was better than Thursday. They really are learning more each day and getting better and better at following directions. I just need to have patience. I really do have some great kids in my class and it is going to be exciting to see what they learn and accomplish throughout the year. It’s also a little overwhelming to realize, that for most, I am their first teacher, and what I do/teach sets up the foundation for the rest of their academic career. It’s a lot of responsibility.

What did I learn this week? 6 specific things come to mind:

1. It’s going to take a while to adjust to calling the class as a whole, “Kindergartners,” instead of “First Graders.”
2. When all else fails, let them play.
3. They really don’t know all the rules, you have teach them how to “play school.”
4. Switching grades is hard, but not knowing how to do something doesn’t make you a bad teacher.
5. Ask for help, it’s allowed.
6. Self-care is vital for survival.

That last one was a really tough one for me this week, and I know will be a tough one all year.

Self-care. I don’t think I fully realized how exhausting (physically, mentally, and emotionally) Kindergarten would be. I go in pretty early to prepare for the day and I thought that going in early would help me to leave pretty soon after the day is done. However, there is always something else to get done, or another meeting to attend. It’s hard for me to leave things for the morning. But I am learning that it is better to leave it for the morning than to drive myself crazy by staying until 6 or later at night.

~I need to take care of me in order to be the best me I can possibly be for my students.~

I felt like a quitter all week by going home, instead of staying to work on things that needed to get done. But taking time for yourself doesn’t mean you are a quitter. It just means you know what is best for your body and what your body needs.

I have learned that I don’t need to spend every waking moment working on the computer, whether that be at school or at home. I have learned that I can come home, make dinner, and spend the rest of the evening doing what I want to do to unwind without feeling guilty. Whatever I want to get done will still be there in the morning and it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t get done immediately.

I really struggled with thinking that I wasn’t committed enough, focused enough, or a good enough teacher because I wasn’t going above and beyond this first week. But I know that if I keep thinking this way and keep trying to be super-teacher I’m going to get burned out very fast. And that’s not fair to me, or to my students.

So, from now on, if you run into me in the evenings or on the weekend, you will find me resting. Resting my mind, body, and soul. Renewing my energy for the next day. Because if I keep going like I thought I needed to, I will have nothing left.

I know it will take time. There will still be some late nights and full weekends. But overall, I’m going to start focusing more on me, so I have more to give to others.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. They mean a lot and I really did feel them this week. Talk with me, encourage me, catch up with me, etc. I love to hear from you and I’d love to share with you. And by all means, remind me to put the computer down! 🙂

-M