*dramatic music plays in the background*

#uhoh

Stop it.

In our handbook, we have formal evaluations every three year. It’s always a stressful time having your administrator come in, listen to a lesson, then sit down with them later and here about those things you do well and need to improve.

#theseareneverfun

I agree. Most of the time, I’m pretty confident about my evalutions. I’m an average teachers on a good day, but yet, I listen, I adapt, and I’m working to make the time I have with students count. All in all, I do the things that I need to do to get the job done. Most of all, I love what I do. It’s hard, it’s exhausting, yet, it’s pure magic when everything hits the way that it is suppose to hit (which doesn’t happen all that often!).

Today was the “bringing of the artifacts” (ok, it’s not actually called that). We have teaching standards to meet and whatever is not seen in the lesson or in our school day is something expect to be seen. I’ve been stressed about this for weeks. I’m not sure why, but this year’s evaluation, from the first lesson to this post meeting has had me on pins and needles. Again, on good days, I’m pretty average, but this year, I’ve felt ineffective on so many levels. I’m my own worst critic (like most of us are) and I see the worst in what I do. Being unorganized, not getting grades into our online grade book, struggling with relationships with adults, they all weigh on me.

But, as you’d expect, if you dread something long enough, it actually turns out to be better than you expect. We had a great conversation about the things I do in the classroom. I shared out the needed things he was looking for and 45 minutes later, I was on my way to class.

I know there are things to improve on, there always are. Average teachers need to improve! 🙂 However, I know I’m doing good things.

And it’s those things I needed to hear today. This year has been hard, but to hear that you are doing something that will make an impact, it makes a teacher feel good about himself.

And we start the cycle again. Until the next (and maybe final) evaluation! 🙂