Here we go....

Hello!

I'm a new teacher!

I'm actually filling in a medical leave, but it's my first "real" teaching job.

I teach English. Freshman and Juniors are my current charges.

I taught Juniors in student teaching, but it was a completely different ball game. My juniors there were nearly all the best in their class. Now I have the entire Junior class at a small rural school.

My students are not motivated by their grades. I'm guessing most of them want to graduate high school, but getting an A in my class is hardly their goal.

I'm searching for a way to motivate them for the 45 minutes each day I have them.

Not to mention the new RISE rubric here in IN is cramping my style. It's strange.

For example, I'm supposed to read the standards we're covering at the beginning of each class.

If my teachers had done that when I was in school, I'd have thought they were on drugs.

Seriously.

Anyway, that's me. I'm hoping to write approximately once a week to share problems, successes, ideas, and (hopefully) encouragement.

I know that for me this is going to be quite the test. I hope it will be one that I not only learn from, but pass.

xo
h