I was so eager to come back from Thanksgiving with energy and a fresh outlook on life, particularly my teaching. I’ve gotten numerous comments from other teachers at my school and in my life about how well I’m handling my first year of teaching. However, as much of an Olivia Pope as I an on the outside, my teaching definitely isn’t “handled”. Yesterday was the most positive day yet. I felt like I was making connections with my students and finally feeling like everything was getting better, even with my most challenging class that I usually dread before and get angry and/or cry about after. However, what a difference a day makes. Nothing particularly bad happened today. Most teachers in my school are STRESSED. We all are getting observed these next few weeks, and we only have one week off for the holiday break. But what really got me today was a moment when many of my students simply did not read directions to a test. I was angry and disappointed. How could they not understand? Then I