When Jaimee suggested the theme for this week, about a million possible subjects ran through my mind.  Chocolate.  Ice Cream Flurries.  Shoes.  Then, I smiled a little thinking back to just yesterday when the ice breaker of our professional development seminar was to create our Superhero teaching alter-ego.  Aside from identifying the super-powers we employ the classroom on a daily basis, and describing the metropolis areas we serve, we also had to share our “kryptonite.”  I suppose it says something about my outlook that I found it a bit challenging to meet some of the criteria, yet I immediately knew what my weakness would be.

There are so many aspects of teaching that are exciting and fulfilling.  For me, however, grading papers doesn’t fall in that category.  Managing my time and staying on top of the paperload is a goal I will constantly strive to attain.  In the mean-time, I choose to focus on the moments of excitement that come from working with talented middle schoolers.  That, and the way a picture of graded papers reminds me that it’s possible to feel “caught up” for the brief and beautiful beginning of a new quarter!

See the Team-up Thursday creativity piling up, thanks to our talented hosts Megan and Melody.