One reason I felt I would have difficulty working in elementary is seeing the same students all day, every day. The years I was a traditional classroom high school teacher I valued the variety of classes and students.
Now I find myself working in a small school where we encounter each other daily in our small building.
Today was my first ride of the year. I’m a fair weather horseman. So, with a bit of nervousness, I was worried my horse and I have forgotten many things and fallen back on old habits, we did a couple drills and headed out. It went surprisingly smooth. I also wasn’t surprised when she bolted at a noise. But we recovered quickly. It wasn’t long and I caught myself laughing quietly. There were small improvements but I was catching them. I had a better horse after the ride than before.
And I realized that I don’t always catch the small steps my students make. And every single one of them is approaching the year having grown. I just need to step back sometimes and look and be aware.
