Rambling about Me: Teaching

So ash48 asked me to ramble about teaching in my post where you give me a topic to ramble about. She also said tips for new teachers.

Teaching is a double edged sword for me. I've wanted to do it since I was little but now that I'm IN it, I don't know if it's what I want to do with my life. I love some aspects of it - the people you work with, the wealth of knowledge, making connections with kids, summer holidays, the creativity aspect, getting to decorate my classroom and create things for it. I dislike some aspects of it - the pressure from everyone, the discipline issues, grading, being at a loss for when kids don't get it.

I procrastinate a lot and I was going through my stuff and my first ever supervisor mentioned to my principal that preparation was my weak point - and it still is! I just don't know how to get over that hump.

There's so many key points that go into teaching - lesson planning, accommodations for those with special needs, differentiating, engaging kids, assigning hw, grading them, looking at tests, replanning based on how they did, reteaching, and that doesn't include the professional developments, talking to parents, and having meetings. It's A LOT.

I feel like I'm not good at it. My classroom environment is awesome, the kids like being there because it's personal, and I know most of the kids like ME because I try to create those relationships, but idk if I'm an EFFECTIVE teacher. Am I giving them the skills they need to succeed in the future? I hope so. I try to teach them kindness in my class, use that as a big part of who I am and what they should be, so is that coming off to them? Just, it's all these things that are constantly going through my mind.

This will be my 5th year and it's going to be the biggest challenge yet. I'm going to do a couple of different things this year that I hope you can help me with.
1. I thought of this earlier and saw wendy was doing it, and that cemented that I should do it - write down 2-3 happy things each day. I need to find the happiness in what I've done. I CAN list a negative, but only 1. Just so I can reflect how to change and not obsess.
2. Reflect on my lessons - what went well and what didn't
3. Change my MINDSET. I need to think positive and well and hopefully the day goes that way
4. Build relationships with parents more. They've always been there but I haven't REALLY interacted with them
5. Develop friendships with the staff so creative ideas can flow
6. At school focus on SCHOOL. No more social media/fic/etc while on my break - be productive about it
7. Get my crap done BEFORE school starts the next day. No last minute copies, hastily checking pinterest etc
8. At home focus on HOME. BE with my family, talk to them!
9. Focus on my religion. Take 20 minutes every morning to focus on my relationship with God.
10. Make to do lists that work - separate them day by day rather than one long list - and actually try to get each thing done.

Basically, stop being so damn lazy haha. Hopefully with all this I can find more enjoyment in my job. And if I'm still unsatisfied, find something else to do. SIGH. Wish life were easier!

Damn that was a long post. If you got through that, KUDOS ♥♥♥