The way teaching should be

My seniors are now done with their international assessments. All I can do now is pray that my borderline kids make it. I've worked my butt off but I still heard reports of (a) 3 students dozing off during the testing; (b) 1 student writing a letter to IB thanking them for the interesting books, instead of an analysis essay; (c) 1 student coming very late to the exam and not finishing. On the other hand, several came back to me proud of their efforts. All I can do is hope. I really will be upset -- question my abilities upset -- if I don't get a 90% pass rate. I'm really hoping for 100%, but the reports back suggest that this isn't going to happen.

Now, with those 12th graders are done, my day consists of teaching just three sections of 9th graders. And, folks, this is how teaching should be. I teach as much time as I give feedback and plan. For example, I gave a test yesterday and got it back to the kids today. They were shocked, but, really, this is how things should be. I should be able to give immediate, or near-immediate, feedback. It took me a long time to grade them all, but I did it all during the school day. Then, I stayed until around 5 to plan a lesson that I'm really excited about. And I don't feel exhausted right now. I then, somehow, didn't bring work home today, for the first time all school year.

This feeling of being on top of my work and my students is all about time and student load. Being given 100 more minutes of planning time so far this week has totally increased the quality of my 9th grade classes, as well as my ability to give regular feedback and assessment. Similarly, my student load being dropped from ~150 to ~100 give me more focus time on each individual student.

As a teacher in the city, I think my salary is pretty fair. My benefits are good. However, my working conditions are decidedly not good. They're still full of small miracles and enthusiasm and love and learning, but I work so freaking hard. More planning time, less students at once, more opportunities to extend myself and learn about my craft -- that's what I crave. I'm feeling that now. I'm taking breaths and smiling while staying on top of things. I wonder if these two weeks of teaching mecca that I'll have to end my year can be replicated more long-term somehow.