6 Stages You Experience In Your First Year Of Teaching, According To John Mayer Songs
By Tenika Seitz
1. War Of My Life
“Come out Angels, Come out Ghosts, Come out Darkness, Bring everyone you know. I’m not running, I’m not scared, I am waiting and well prepared”
You did it! You graduated college, and all that student teaching was totally helpful. You are about to be a real-life independent teacher. You aren’t scared! You are so passionate, and excited, and READY! HORRAY! This is going to be so great, you are going to make such a difference, and the kids are going to love you for sure!
2. Assassin
“Suddenly I’m in over my head and I can hardly breathe”
Challenging? This isn’t challenging, it’s impossible. You haven’t slept more than two or three hours a night in months, you aren’t eating…or you’re eating too much, you haven’t talked to your family and friends in months because anytime you have a chance to use the phone, it’s to call a parent. And what’s this about state-test preparation? This isn’t supposed to be this hard yet, it’s only October!
3. Vultures
“Down to the wire, I wanted water, but I’ll walk through the fire. If this is what it takes to take me even higher, then I’ll come through like I do when the world keeps testing me, testing me, testing me.”
The first few months of the Fall are tough, but getting through them is such a miraculous feet, just surviving it makes you believe in God again. Suddenly, you’re back to your cocky little self. Alright, alright, six weeks until the end of term? Let’s get back to doing the damn thing!
4. Whisky, Whisky, Whisky
“Whisky, whisky, whisky, water, water, water, sleep.”
Alas, what seemed would never come is finally here: Christmas break! These next few weeks are going to be so FUN! You’re going to see all your friends you haven’t seen or talked to in months, and you’re going to finally get to do all the things you haven’t be able to because of work. And it’s well deserved, don’t you think? Time to party and go CRAZY …Or, you’re going to drink an entire bottle of wine and fall asleep on the couch for 72 hours straight.
5. Heart of Life
“Pain throws your heart to the ground, love turns the whole thing around.”
After the New Year, the relationships are there, the kids love you (for the most part), but then why are they still pressing your buttons? And why are you still working your ass off? Because that’s how love works. And you realize kids don’t know how love works yet, so you have to keep loving them, even when they keep pushing you. But it’s fine, because you really do love them…
6. Waiting On The Day
“Waiting on the day when these words are in stone. When the kids are all grown, and we can go dancing.”
And just like that, when you finally start to settle into the happiness that comes with teaching, the first year comes to an end. And with it, comes all the uncertainty you were too proud to consider at the start of it all. How do you say goodbye to this experience? How do you say goodbye to these kids? Next year will be easier, right? Or will it? What if you never see this group of students ever again? Will you? They learned though, right? You learned though. You’re different because there’s no way you’ll forget.