Stay away from what might have been and look at what can be (Marsha Petrie Sue)

Photo by Efe Kurnaz on Unsplash

There's always an urge, as a new teacher in a new school to look back at what students have been like for other teachers plus there's all that previous data which can be mind-numbingly contradictory.

I've always aimed to resist that urge and instead take students at face value. A fresh start for everyone. It's what they can be that motivates me. It's their potential and how they interact and connect with me that I'm more interested in.

Less is more.

Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself (Richard Bach)

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Recently, I had to own a stuff-up due to my inexperience with certain protocols.

The roster had me on lunch duty. Part of that duty is to allow girls in year groups to enter the dining hall, check they've washed their hands and keep things moving. I checked in the hall a couple of times and thought it was okay to allow more girls in to get their lunch.

Wrong! 

There are two sittings for lunch and I'd failed to remember that the kitchen staff have to replenish the food for the second sitting.

I owned my gaffe and apologised to the chef. Mea culpa is a great expression. I told him I'd learn from my error. He was very good about it - realising I was new to the role. Next time I'll slow down and check with the kitchen staff rather than make any unilateral decisions.

Mistakes happen - it wasn't fatal. There was enough food for everyone luckily and I was cut some slack. Phew.

Being true to myself means learning from my errors/gaffes and being honest whenever they happen - I'm sure to make more. Everybody does.

Now that I've owned it, I can let it go.

It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going (Brian Tracy)

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I like the sentiment expressed in that quote above from Brian Tracy (no I'd not heard of him before either).

I'm enjoying meeting new students in my new school. Clean slate for them with me. 

I don't know who they are at the start - I have a few strategies to get to know them quickly though.

What matters is where they are headed next.

Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude (Zig Ziglar)

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It's a bit tortured sounding but the message from Zig is still clear. Attitude is the most important determiner.

Mohammed Ali's another who knew that well. As he put it: If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.