I have been reassured and delighted to discover that my joy in the classroom still exists. After only one (very soul-destroying) term of teaching over two years of study and other projects, I am back in the classroom again. What I am enjoying so much is feeling like I belong, and can connect with my students. I hadn't realized how much I'd been afraid that I had lost my classroom "presence." It feels like home; I feel alive in my art. I love to teach, to really get my students grasping the content and skill I am teaching. It's a joy to activate their understandings and performances.
I suppose this is the honeymoon phase of my return. I only have limited marking so far, and the students aren't stressed yet with some possibly acting out. We'll see what the future brings, but right now, I am satisfied!
