Don't just give up...

There is no one GIANT step that does it. It's a lot of LITTLE steps. --Peter A. Cohen

I enjoyed watching a comedy tonight with my family while reading a book; multi-tasking is a skill that I acquired as a teacher :)

I checked my celfone for the last time before going to bed at 2:00am...email, Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds...ok, but wait... a blog comment that will keep me awake if I don't respond to it ASAP. So here I am now, writing an entry about it that brings me back to where I was six years ago when I was a newbie in DCPS. What has changed since then? Nothing I guess...***first year teachers are still struggling during the stage called "the survival" or "the initiation" stage. It's the same thing that happened even to the most effective veteran teachers. It's what's going to test their commitment and dedication, and shape them to become highly skilled and competent!

Read on the latest comment on my last entry here...

Anonymous said...

I am a new teacher at DCPS and without a mentor and coach and to be honest feel like giving up, I just don't know how to keep on going. Last year I worked all the time and went to college, it got to a point where I would stay up all night trying to make sense of what I was teaching but to no avail as I scored badly on IMPACT. I feel like I could be a good teacher, but as a new teacher in the program I feel so unsupported and lost, it seems like DCPS is there to tear new teachers down not support them. Your blog is so positive, what advice do you have ? How can I keep going when I feel like giving up? Incidentally, I am also a foreigner and the whole school system is still a mystery to me and I find that things are not explained because everyone takes it for granted that you should know the system already, the American way. I know I can do better but feel demoralized.

7:51 PM

Maria Angala said...

I perfectly understand how you feel, I was in your exact predicament not too long ago...You are a great teacher and you are making a big difference to your students, please do not let anybody tell you otherwise.

Please email me: solangala@yahoo.com ...we need to sit down and talk, I am willing to support you and be your mentor every step of the way... tough times never last but tough people do!

Stay positive!

-MARIA-

*** OK, I had to clarify this part, I apologize if I did not make myself clear the first time.