First Day of Practice

Yesterday was the first day of baseball practice for Miles.  While it may seem like an insignificant thing, it really is a big deal.  For Miles, baseball is something that he really loves.  Like many kids his age, he loves sports and has aspirations of hitting a home run just like they do in the pros.  For me it so much more.  It's not about living out my dreams through my child.  It's not about developing the next super star.  For me the first day of practice is simply a reminder of what's important in life.  Miles and the girls are very precious to me.  Anytime I can spend quality time with them, to help nurture their dreams and provide them with opportunities to develop interpersonal skills its rewarding.

I have many dreams and aspirations for my children, but what's most important to me is that I do everything that I can to ensure that I plant seeds in them that will allow them to become the most beautiful roses the world have ever seen.

Grades are due Monday.

I have been in teaching for 14 years and this time of year always brings anxiety to me. The days before grades are due. It’s not about the stack of papers that still need to be graded. I haven’t fallen for the media blitz that the problems with society can be traced back to the classroom teacher, but I do take my profession seriously. This year I started at a new school and my students grades are awful. Most have not done 50 percent of the homework I assigned so as a result they don’t have the grades they were hoping for. Letting students know that they have performed well below my expectations isn’t what’s bothering me either.

What bothers me this time of year is the constant wondering if I did all I could to be an effective teacher. Yes I gave the objective, yes I varied the instruction and yes I spent hours on the phone with parents sharing my concerns about their children. Yet and still I wonder what I could have done better to get a better result. Once in one of my educational leadership classes a classmate talked about how she’s been the same for years, but she’s having a harder time reaching students. I think most teachers feel the same way. Reaching students is what makes a school year successful.

My hope is that as my kids do better they will challenge me to be a better teacher. I look forward to watching, learning and growing.

~Maura