Back in the Saddle

The students came back on Monday this week, and it's been a pretty good start.

Positives:

• First year students overall seem very positives and engaged in the class. 
• Circling with Balls (a la Ben Slavic) is proving to be a powerful way to reach those students who seem to always be on the outside, just as promised.  
• I'm trying class jobs, and so far, so good!  I really like the Greeter idea.  It's a truly wonderful way to welcome students to class.
• My students from last year are excited to see me, and say hello.  I really think this TCI thing really builds up that bond with each student. 
• I have a student assistant! 

Areas that need improvement:

• I will feel better if I change my attitude about my 3rd year classes.  They are so much tougher to teach because most of them don't want to play the TCI game.  I reached out to Ben and his bloggers to see what they recommend, and they have a few good ideas.  I just don't want to feel so beat up (Yes, already!) from giving my all and it not being reciprocated.   I even contemplated going back to textbook and sticking with TCI in year 1, but for some reason that would kill me. 
• SBG is proving to cause me more stress than I had originally thought.  I think it's because I coupled it with shifting to the textbook to TPRS model.  Oh boy, what was I thinking? 
• I will feel more grounded if I look back at the goals I set before I started school.  

So as all teachers know (well at least in my experience), teaching is quite the roller coaster ride.  Ups and downs.  I think it should smooth out in the next couple of weeks.  Just remember "this too, shall pass."