Tomorrow I will start the last quarter of my first year at Greenville Weston High School. As my principal compliments, “Congratulations for those of you that have made it this far.”

My lack of writing in the past months came from a lack of time, but even more, came from a lack of confidence. First semester was ridiculous: fights, grades, parents, weapons, behavior, sleep, confidence, administration, technology…I did not think I could be the teacher my friends, my family, and I envisioned; I was scared.

At the beginning of the year, older TFA members persistently reminded us newbies, “Just wait. Things get better.” I couldn’t believe those words when my class averaged a thirty percent on a test, and I wrote six behavior referrals in one day. A sick feeling gnawed at my insides; my body was literally telling my brain, “we don’t belong here”.

But good news, just as the second years predicted—it got better.

I always found a greater good in whatever mess I was in, and I made my house a home, a place of comfort and rest. I’ve got many transformational stories to share with you. We have nine weeks of school, 95 students, 400 TFA corps members, and one chemistry classroom to talk about. So I’m going to enjoy this last, sacred day of Spring Break, and I’ll be back, Mr. Hedman in all his greatness, next week. Welcome home!