Ten Things...

You know I love me a good Linky Party, and Jennifer at Rowdy in First Grade is hosting a Linky Party about Ten Things I've Learned about Teaching. I read two posts from the list and then I had to STOP! I wanted to write my own, and I was loosing ideas when I read other teachers posts. They were so true, though! So anyway, I'm sure I'm preaching to the chore with some of my ten but maybe it could be helpful to some.


1. Your planning time is used for copies, checking student folders, making phone calls, meetings, or reading over the 50 e-mails you just received that day. NOT PLANNING! That gets done on your personal time.


2. Always pick-up the floor at the end of the day. It isn't the custodians job to pick-up Johnny's crayons and Susie's book basket.


3. Your school day DOES NOT end at 3:20pm. It never ends until summer vacation. You think about the well-being of your students 24-7.


4. You cherish your favorite pens and are very upset when the ink runs out or the substitute misplaces it!


5. I never schedule a parent-teacher conference before school time (7:30am.) I've been burned too many times by no-shows. Grrrr


6. It isn't always great to have a teacher's kid in your class. Either the kid is out of control OR the parent/colleague is!


7. Currently, most of your students are "gifted," according to their parents. Just ask 'em... (even your relatives will say it about their kids, ha!)


8. No matter how experienced or organized you are End-of-the-Year paperwork is a nightmare. Make sure to have those signatures or you will spend a lot of time on the phone trying to get parents in to conference with you.


9. The copy machine is EVIL!


10. Never think something is going to be easy or go smoothly because it won't. Always has a contingency plan!


Now, have fun making up your own list!