Day 9: Write about your biggest accomplishments in your teaching that no one knows about (or may not even care).

After a very long day of teaching and then Open House with my students' parents, I figured I could use that as an excuse to skip a day in my blogging challenge. Understandable, no?  After all, I had been mulling this prompt over for the past 24 hours and had not been able to come up with a single thing. Teachers usually aren't people who like to toot their own horns.  And even though this prompt suggests writing about something minor, mundane or even silly, I was at a loss. 

Driving home at 8:30 p.m. this evening, it dawned on me that I had discovered what to write about. You see, I have a very real fear of public speaking. Strange, I know, as I have a job that requires me to standup and talk to a group of people. But those people are 12 years old, and that crowd I have no trouble handling. Adults, on the other hand, cause me to tremble, my voice shakes and I have trouble catching my breath. Every year as Open House looms, I try to not think about my fear and tell myself that this year will be fine.

After having a lovely home-cooked meal with my entire team of colleagues, cooked by the one and only Mr. Wolf, I entered FMS and immediately began to feel my heart start to beat a little faster. As I set up the computer display, the adrenaline starts pumping and my hands shakily tap the keyboard.  My mouth runs dry. Here we go again.

I am proud that I am able to make it through Open House each year all the while trying to control the inner panic that tries to take hold. I think I do a pretty good job. But I also know it is because I am surrounded by my amazing teammates, who help me feel safe and secure in the fact that we will get through it together.  It was a very special night that I won't soon forget (even though I am glad it is over).