The New Normal...

Well, this was my second official week of teaching 5th grade.  It is so much harder than I imagined it would be.  I'm realizing how teaching styles are so different and how different people can set the environment in their classrooms.  Although the kids seem so undisciplined and regressed, I see growth in their academics and in their personalities.  It has been frustrating jumping in and trying to understand what Laura has done for the past 3 quarters while not changing too much from their daily/weekly routines.  To top it all off, I'm getting a new student on Monday.  I decided that he's just going to have to figure things out and I am not going to spend a ton of time trying to catch him up, when honestly I don't know what to catch him up on.

Honestly, I have been so angry, bitter, and impatient towards anyone and everything JCS lately.  I feel so ready to move on and ready to start something new and exciting.  I feel not helped in my new adjustment, everyone just tells me that it'll get better soon.  I miss my 3rd graders.  It's hard going in there and teaching them and disciplining them when I don't feel like it is my classroom anymore.  Although Jess has been amazingly patient with my new teaching situation, I still feel awkward sometimes just stepping into someone else's classroom and teaching/disciplining.


It's hard to take a step backwards and realize that my problems and frustrations will be insignificant in a few months.  I'll be desiring to be back in the DR, with my students, my friends, my new adopted country.

Thankfully God is faithful and I know this "low" will be gone in a few days.  I just pray for encouragement and direction and a job in the States soon...