The one thing that is most necessary and hardest to find is something you cannot rush or buy.
Experience.
I love noticing little changes and fixes that I have picked up just in my measly three years of experience.
For example, actually doing whatever I plan for the students ahead of time, including making the answer key before I ever pass it out.
Learning to be flexible at the drop of a hat, including when students are just not understanding or I am called to an 'emergency' meeting, or both.
Being able to come up with random filler activities when my oh so beautifully planned lesson runs short.
Looking for problems in the set-up or structure of my lesson when it feels like everyone is failing because of my terrible teaching.
Knowing that it's okay to quit doing something that isn't working.
Seeking out my students opinions first on how to fix or change things in their classroom.
Learning when it's just time to go to sleep already!
Noticing subtle hints and changes in students behavior that I was oblivious to during my first year.
In fact, just beginning to focus on student behavior rather than my own.
Knowing every idea won't work for me and that that is okay.
Thinking ahead to questions students might ask and building them into the lesson.
Picking out that moment where something has to change right now or I will lose everybody.
That's my summary of three years...
I hope the learning from experience rate is exponential!
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