Settling In {SOL 9-16-14}

This week is our third week of school.  Although, when I stop to think about it, it could be our 30th.

I am amazed at how quickly my new students learned the routines and expectations of our classroom.  They are eager and enthusiastic learners.

To the outside observer, it seems like we've been at this forever.  Walk in my room during silent reading time and it is just that...silent while students read.  They have already built up to 30 minutes of solid reading time.  When it's time to stop, they say "Awww...." and I smile to myself at their love of reading.

I should be happy that everything is going so smoothly.

And I am.

But maybe a little part of me isn't.

You see, while my students have slipped into the routines of our classroom, I have too.  Some of these are the old routines of years past.  These routines are comfortable and familiar.  But I slowly feel them pushing out anything new I have learned that I wanted to implement in my classroom.  It's as if they are saying, "Go away, new kid.  We don't need you here.  We've got a good thing going."

And all of those new ideas are trying to turn around and retreat back to safety where nothing changes and life is easy.

But this isn't about "easy."  It's about growing, and learning, and stepping outside of my comfort zone as I try new things, possibly better things.

Old habits are hard to break, but break them I will.

It's nice to be comfortable, sitting under the tree of learning that I have created over the years.  But we all know that real growth occurs up there at the end of those branches.

Time to get my ladder...