Bite Size Pieces

This is a reality check. I think every August (in this case, July) I end up giving myself the same reality check.

I am thrilled, excited and frankly overwhelmed about the year ahead. My brain is running a thousand miles a minute about routines, procedures, lessons, and classroom arrangement. I stay up late at night thinking about morning meetings and flexible seating. Visions of anchor charts, read alouds, and writing lessons run through my head.

My list of things to talk to my team about is a page long. My classroom to-do list is another page.

The number of new ideas I want to add to my teaching practice is too many to count on one hand. Honestly, it's too many to count on two. And the crazy thing is

I HAVEN'T EVEN GONE TO PD YET.


And I am teaching a new grade level.

So yeah, this is my reality check that it's not going to all happen. It just can't.

Yes, that Ron Clark book I read was full of teaching brilliance, but I can't do it all.
Yes, my classroom design ideas saved on Instagram are beautiful, but I can't do them all.
Yes, all of those new routines and procedures have potential to rock my classroom, but I can't implement them all.

MY LISTS ARE TOO LONG.

That's because, by nature, teachers are learners. There's a constant drive and desire to improve our craft which means theres always something to be done. But, that doesn't mean that everything can happen.

So today I am going to start living by a new mantra:

My running lists are going to be sorted into wants and needs (um hello 2nd grade economics unit!). Yes, of course I will try to get to those wants, but I am also going to be gracious with myself. I know that if I want them bad enough they will happen. But, I also know that it can't all happen. It just can't. 

So, here's to a new year. Here's to grace. Here's to bite size pieces.


Love y'all!



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