Semester 1 Evaluation

I can't explain how I'm feeling right now. The best description would be a "humble pride". The pride comes from the fact that I've received excellent evaluations this semester and my evaluator was very encouraging and validating. It is not an arrogant pride, but one that appreciates the acknowledgment of the skills and dedication and hard work I have been honing and fine tuning since 1994. But I am overwhelmed with humility at the way the Lord has helped me to "get back on the horse" so to speak. Honestly, I was worried about going back to full time teaching after being a stay at home mom. I felt rusty - in classroom management, in lesson planning, in creativity, in assessment, in it all, really. I was nervous that I'd flop and flounder my first year back like I did my first year teaching. But it really has been like riding a bike. The hardest adjustment for me has been learning to balance work with home and have a personal life - spiritually and socially. Still haven't got that down like I want it, but I'm learning to accept that might just be a constant chore...it's so easy for the pendulum to swing too far over here, and not far enough over there - back and forth, back and forth. Would you look at that?! The old Lori, the one that prefers the destination to the journey, is learning. Guess you CAN teach an "old dog" some new tricks! ;)