September came fast and crazy. 100 students means 100 papers to grade daily and lots of lesson plans to create. Daily grading, planning, driving, and contacting parents started wearing on me. I was staying later at night trying to finish my work before leaving and before my commute home. I would get home, make dinner, and try to do a few more things for school before wanting to fall asleep.
By the time October was beginning, I was now riding the train everyday, was late to school every day, and was still getting home at the same time because of missing the train or waiting for the train to come. Students were failing as they didn't hand in homework or did so poorly on the homework that I should not have even collected it or graded it because it was a waste of time and energy. I was still on the same topic of place value for over a month now and cannot think of any others ways to teach it. I was frustrating myself trying to figure new ways to teach them to help them understand concepts instead of rushing through their homework and work. Parent teacher conferences brought about many frustrated parents to talk about their children and that they have never failed a subject before in their life, as this has any bearing on this year. It is a culmination of all of these stresses that lead me for the first time in my life I resigned from something and didn't have something to go to next. It was odd being at such peace and filled with relief toward the end.
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