What I have learned this semester that might not necessarily be overtly graded

Here is a top ten list of a few of the lessons I have learned over the past semester at Whitley County High School.

1. A teacher’s effectiveness is proportional to the planning that goes into each lesson.

2.Planning itself isn’t enough. The planning must be intelligent, reflective, and undertaken in light of what is known about the individuals within a class and the class as a whole.

3. Time management is essential. Teaching is a commitment that requires saying no to other potential commitments.

4. Growing as a teacher requires constant learning.

5. Growth in terms of methodology must be accompanied by growth in terms of content knowledge and understanding; otherwise, methods are hollow.

6. Student A may not learn at the same pace or in the same way as Student B. A student is an individual and must be treated as one.

7. The best students have learned to teach themselves.

8. The way a student performs and behaves in class needs to be understood within the context of the rest of student’s life.

9. Sleep deficits haunt.

10. Peanut butter and jelly isn’t as appetizing in December as it is in August.