Pivotal moments in my first year of teaching

1.  When I struggled.  Week after week.

2.  When I was supported.

3.  When my students "got it" for the first week.

4.  When I was bragged on by a parent.

5.  When I had to fill out IEP and 504 forms.  To have to check boxes identifying with what a student struggles, but to not be able to annotate with details about the sweet note she wrote me, or the distraction from school because of his heartbreaking home life, is completely frustrating.  I expect I will feel a similar frustrations when my performance as a teacher will be summed up by my students' scores on a test at the end of the year.  What will not go on the record book will be that one student was up late the previous night night because of a crying little brother.  Another student was dealing with horrific flashbacks each time he sits still.

6.  When my babies were proud of themselves at the end of one of the toughest grades in elementary school.