After working so hard as a first year teacher and not getting paid at all for the last month and a half of working, it was honestly getting really frustrating and discouraging. I’m glad i have really been putting my heart and soul into my school and my students now.

Money shouldn’t be a driving force but seeing that paycheck really made me feel like what I’ve been doing wasn’t for free or for nothing lol. I just got what it took me 9 weeks of work to get at my last job in one of my bi-monthly paychecks.

My students have all come to really love me. I’m getting hugs from everyone now. Even from students who were giving me a hard time at the beginning of September are telling me they love me and love my class. Students get excited to see me in the hallways or when they see me at recess or the lunchroom. They tell me I make science fun for them, even the kids who say they don’t really like it.

I’m still way off from being the perfect teacher and I still have lessons that fall flat on deaf ears. But I’m learning slowly what works for my students and what doesn’t. Taking things step by step and day by day. And most of all I feel supported, by my admin who shocked me by coming in my room very often but giving me genuinely good advice that I’ve already implemented and it helped me. As well as all the other teachers in the building being friendly and giving me advice on how to help their tough students, and what has been working for their students who have been struggling this year.

I’m honestly really happy that I made this my career. I went from making the least in my family to the most, and now I can finally start giving back to those who supported me. I’ve come a very long way since I started my first job as a school aide back in the summer of 2016.

Anyways my rant about finally getting paid is over. I hope my fellow first year teachers are doing well too :)