ABSTRACT
Everything that happens is an opportunity to learn, grow, and work toward becoming the teacher one dreamed of. Do not let situations like these discourage professional teaching journey. The best teachers are the best learners. In most professions there is a not a clear start and end to a professional year. And though the school year cycle may cause great stress at times - the anxiousness of the next holiday, worry about standardized testing, curriculum expectations, etc. - there is one benefit for new employees that other jobs do not have. The end of first year is a wonderful time to self-reflect, full of celebrations but also regrets. One may have wished you had established clearer expectations at the beginning of the year. The anticipation of a new year is always exciting. No matter how year one went, next year's students will walk into classroom with excitement and hope.
