Today was a solid reminder of how teaching is 99% assessment. I am constantly assessing something, especially the situation I find myself. I have now tried several ideas in the math class for getting students to settle down into a routine. The problem is that I have yet to set a routine. Having CM gone in the middle of creating materials has been a challenge for me. I’m looking at these materials and trying to figure out what to do with them now. 

Tomorrow I’m supposed to meet with the long term sub to plan for the next unit. He seems very capable and competent, so I have high hopes for what we can accomplish together. In fact, he impressed me with his work ethic and flexibility today as he moved between the groups of students and helped out with problem solving and negotiation of meaning. Deep down, this shouldn’t impress me as much as it is. However, we need more teachers who are willing to do the extra work. When I see a teacher this dedicated, it makes me excited.

On another note, I was able to finish the schedule for Access testing today. Ironically, when I mentioned to my students that next week we would be testing on Tuesday, they resisted and acted like they had never heard of such a thing. I’m perturbed. How many hours will I have wasted if half the students don’t show up? I shouldn’t take it personally as this is the first year doing this. Many things have also NOT gone according to plan, including administrative level stuff. Things that are completely out of my control. Even with that in mind I worry that I’ll take it personally. I’m trying to prepare myself for the potential that we have to completely scramble and hectically schedule students for the next few weeks of disorganized testing. The memory of last year has left a residue on me that I find hard to scrub off. It’s like glitter. No matter how much Dawn you use, you will always find some traces of it down the road. 

In sum, I need to focus on getting a routine together, especially since my student teacher leaves after next week. If I don’t put the work in now, it’s going to affect me for the rest of the year.