Man, I was just reading my old journals back from student teaching and thought... How could I let a whole year go by without putting any thoughts to text. Well, it whizzed by like no other. And it was as my friend said at the beginning, "Jonny, you can't save the world."

And I certainly do believe that I've lost some kids to the world. But again, it's not my ministry...

So... what have I learned?
-The silent waiting for kids to settle down technique does not work for AKCS kids


* I am too soft, and I need to start harder

* I must be more clear with expectations and boundaries, and I have to be consistent with bustin caps

* Don't be in the change room... when kids are changing

* Multiple choice is my friend

* I should not feel bad to make my TA mark stuff

* Make record of assignments when they come in! So I know who to chase

* Teaching out of portables is actually pretty rad.



Yup, I can't say I can leave my first year with a great sense of accomplishment. I had a pretty good reality check in June as I went through review with the kids, only to discover that they don't recall a thing.

And I did fail a few kids on their finals and classes, but my friend at Queen E. says:

"You didn't fail your kids. Your kids failed themselves."

lol, That's some good guilt free rhetoric.

I'll take it.

Still, I'm left to question, why was my teaching not enough to connect to the kids? Where can I improve? Do I just suck?

The answer is, Yes. Yes I do suck.

But I will get better.

*Sigh* I've also been continually asking myself throughout the year, how much of my personal happiness am I going to sacrifice for the sake of being professional. To which, I further examine and ask, how much of being professional is more just a front to deny the fact that I have no testicles?

On a final note, here's some stats on my lifestyle this past year (some of these numbers are fudged, but they're fairly close):

Longest stretch of not:


* Vacuuming (5 months)

* Cleaning the Bathroom (3 months)

* Cleaning my room (8 <-- put that on it's side)

* Changing the kitty litter (ibid)

* Doing the laundry (3 weeks)

* Cooking for myself (4 weeks)

* Sleeping (46 hrs)


Yeah... I could really use a wife... To cook, and clean, vacuum, do my laundry...