Again, I will be honest with you, I’m exhausted.

After three weeks of lead teaching – with spring break in the middle – I’m exhausted. But not for the reasons I thought I would be. A lot of things came more easily this time than my last lead teaching time. Thinking of lessons, homework assignments, quizzes, and logistics – it’s all become more manageable which is very comforting. I can also say that the evaluations and people coming in and out of the room has become less noticeable and a lot less stressful, even the kids are used to it now.

What has exhausted me is most has been the kids. They’ve spent all year working hard and they know the year is winding down so they are a bit more maintenance than they used to be which is to be expected. The saving grace has been the rituals and routines we have been enforcing and using all year. Having the structure that they are used to helps combat the craziness.

Lead teaching time has again helped me to see the benefit of being in the classroom for an entire year versus just a few months like traditional teaching programs. Being in the school the entire year has given me experience with my students at every stage they’ve been at. I feel now like I will be more prepared for my first year and also know what to expect at every stage.

Another important thing that takes a lot of energy is my job hunt. I go from resident, to looking for a teaching job in my very own classroom. Denver Teacher Residency has prepared us well. In class, we had several weeks of preparation, including résumé review, interview tips, a principal panel, and mock interviews with our field managers and fellow residents. This preparation made it so when we got interviews we weren’t as nervous and weren’t caught off guard by the questions. Once the jobs started posting, we started applying and from there we got interviews because we are already part of the district and therefore sought after. I am very excited about my position next year!