What My First Year of Teaching HS Seniors Taught Me About Expectations

Have you seen those “Expectations versus Reality” photographs–the ones that contrast what you think something will look like with how it actually turns out?

My first year of teaching was like one of those photographs.

Expectation picture: My first day would go swimmingly. The weeks of summer planning would pay off. My students would happily learn to write essays, resumes, cover letters, and other real-world writing documents. They’d enthusiastically read and engage in conversations about Haml...