First Year Teacher

My husband and I were discussing homeschooling last night and he made a comment that stuck with me: "Basically, you are a first year elementary school teacher." Yeah, I guess I am! Wow. Every day there is something I get down on myself because I didn't get it done, or didn't do it as well as I wished I had with the kids. There are many days when homeschooling feels messy and I am uncertain about if this is the best option for my kids. Like Douglas said, "Teachers are usually not effective the first five years they are teaching." I have been teaching in various capacities for many years, from coaching cross-country skiing while in college, to teaching college now. Yet for some reason I expected to just be able to jump right in and be a super teacher homeschooling. Well, time definitely plays a role here. I do work, teaching 2-3 college classes, so I am balancing that on top of teaching the kids and other commitments.

I guess what that comment did was put this in perspective for me. I'm not an experienced elementary school teacher. I don't always know the answers to questions my kids ask (thank goodness for Google!). Even if I'd had 4+ years of college teaching me to be a teacher, I would still have plenty of questions, uncertainties and rough spots in my teaching if this were my first year in the classroom. Bottom line: I think I'll give myself a break, chill out a little and give myself a pat on the back for doing what I do.