One Week!

Greetings from San Francisco!

After my first day in the classroom I left feeling overwhelmed. I was in a fourth grade classroom (I’m used to teaching second grade and under) and feeling completely out of my element. (The elementary school we are working at here is a bit different than those I have experienced in Montana and Washington). However, here we are—it’s already been a week! After just that little bit of time I have gotten to know the children, classroom, and school so much better! I wish I wasn’t going to have to leave these kids at the end of the month!

The most important thing I’ve learned so far is respecting and acknowledging your students. It’s something that I have always known is important, but it has become so very obvious during my short time here! If a child feels like you care who they are and are really pulling for their success there is such a difference in the mood of the classroom. Another thing—this is what I love, even when I don’t feel like things are working. The kids in my classroom are fantastic. They were asking me if I was going to miss them when I went back to Washington—what a silly question! The class is small, just thirteen students, so there are lots of opportunities to work one-on-one or in small groups. Even with a class this small there is so much diversity—several different races, different socioeconomic status, home life, English language learner, GATE, maturity levels… you name it.

In addition to my time in the classroom I’m loving the city! It is such a rich city—there are so many things to do and to see! We’ve had fantastic weather—I’m afraid returning to cold and grey Spokane will be a bit of a shock! Tonight some of us went to the ocean to watch the sunset. It was lovely.

Thanks for reading! Have a marvelous day!

-Elizabeth