*passion rather than ability, accomplishment or ambition. humbling grace rather than confidence. love rather than power, authority or respect. a sense of humor rather than a sense of importance. forgiveness rather than perfection. that's what got me through! i survived!

* hard to admit that i'm stumbling to the end of a struggle, a journey...with lots of mistakes made and lots of things to still learn...teachable moments lost and gone forever...

*sometimes you just got to smile

*being a natural teacher is forgetting about yourself, forgetting where you are, lost in the wonder and the experience of your students

*being the best teacher is not necessarily having the best organization, the most "brilliant" lesson plans, the greatest work ethic, or even being the most wonderful presenter/actor/motivator...it's the teacher who is willing to be humble, to learn, and to keep trying to become a better teacher... being a servant-leader, rather than trying to be a master

*sometimes you have to stop working so hard to be the best teacher, and just let the kids learn...

*learned to take some things seriously, and other things not so personally...most of all, not to take myself so seriously. i'm just a teacher, not God, the president of the united states, the head of the department of education, the social worker, the counselor, the board of eduation, the supreme court justice, the heavyweight champion of the world. :)

*you need to sleep and you need to eat.

*learn we must discipline those we love (the students sometimes need a teacher more than a friend)

*stay connected---have a mentor teacher you respect and can learn from and have a student who you can respect and mentor....so when you start to fall, there's somebody to pull you along or push you forward...

*there's too much to teach & too much to learn, too little time....and maybe all of its not that important all at once? find the jewels.

*take risks, be creative, be ready to fail/fall, be prepared for "constructive" criticism or brutal honesty, let kids be kids or students be students who can also make mistakes and learn from them, ask yourself are we enjoying this?, be willing to be flexible & change, be assertive (the kids want to respect you), expect the unexpected, be amazed i'm glad that i'm done with this experience...bring on the next challenge! though i know it will be 62 million times harder than my student teaching experience was, i know that there will be greater experiences, greater rewards, and greater joys awaiting me....

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