Well, week one of the Spring semester is done! I'm thankful to have my 2 favorite freshmen classes again, and am looking forward to continuing those relationships. It seems as though I'm constantly being pushed out of my comfort zone these days. (And I say pushed because that's really what it takes to get me out sometimes.) Last semester's general challenge was the whole teaching situation, with a certain all-boys, barely-English speaking class as a specific challenge. But,I eventually got comfortable with teaching and had no reason to feel anxious about this term. Then, I got my schedule and realized that I had been given the task of teaching an oral English class to a group of 6 of my fellow teachers. Really?? I am the youngest, most inexperienced English teacher at our school and they gave that class to me!(One of the teachers in the class actually has a son my age!). I also realized that one of my classes wasn't a freshmen class, but a sophomore class...and also happened to be the class that several good friends of mine are in. So, what we have here are two potentially very awkward situations. I was not happy. Long story short, neither class was nearly as bad as I imagined they would be. Two of my friends in the sophomore class wrote notes to me that really encouraged me: one said, "We are friends, so maybe you are nervous (I know). Ha ha. Don't be nervous. I approve of you forever! Come on!" And the other simply said, "I love you!" Its crazy how much that helped me. Now, I'm really glad to have this chance to teach their class. It is a class of 30 girls, 10 of whom I already know well, so its a great opportunity to keep building relationships with those sweet friends! I was really concerned about my relationship with the other teachers. I was afraid they might feel like I thought I was superior or something, but we ended up laughing a lot together and they even joked around when the class was over saying "Bye, Teacher". I feel hopeful that our relationships are going to be good ones!
Its the things that scare me and require more of me that bring about the growth and change that needs to take place. I am thankful that I'm loved so much that my craving for the comfortable and effortless isn't catered to. I'm not given what I want when it isn't best for me, or for the greater good, and when its all over, I'm so glad!
