Nailed It

"You know September is not a good month to decide when to retire," my friend Mary reminded me this afternoon. We were both weary from a day of forcing squirrely kids to take yet another standardized test, this one new to us, too, so harder to troubleshoot the inevitable technical glitches.

"I know," I agreed.

"We always feel this way in the beginning of the year," she continued, "overwhelmed and cranky."

"I know," I agreed again, and I really did. Just last night I had reread what I wrote here on this blog one year ago:

This is not the time of year for me to make any decisions about my career. 

One month on, it seems like students should be settling in as systems and procedures become familiar, but that is not what is happening. The kids from 7th grade are still coming back, seeking the comfortable routine we worked for 10 months to establish, and the new sixth graders are still dazed and confused by the expectations their predecessors eventually mastered. 

 But I know the keyword is "eventually". I know that last year at this time I was still working hard and waiting for everything to click, and even feeling a little discouraged that those kids didn't get how great the class could be, if only they gave it a chance. If I think about it, I will recollect what a slog the first unit always is, and I will understand that building community and relationships takes time, especially after the initial excitement of a new school year wears off. 

 And so I must resolve to carry on and make adjustments for the new group when necessary, to be mindful that some of the activities that were awesome last year might not be as good a fit this time around, and to notice the new magic whenever it happens.

Which is exactly how I am feeling today.