Using ALL the resources available to me

I have discovered that being a teacher is WAY harder than I ever thought. I constantly feel like I'm trying to juggle five or six balls all at the same time. This is no easy task. What I am learning is that I do not have to do it by myself. I have two MMR students in my class. They are in and out of the classroom throughout the day and I felt like I was not meeting their needs when they were in the class. I knew that my exit slips for science were beyond their abilties and I was tempted to  just let them slide. That is when I realized how much help the special ed. teacher can be. I have been collaborating with her and she helps to adjust the exit slips to meet the needs of these students while still holding them accountable for learning. She has also been breaking down the lessons into pieces that these students can understand. At first I was afraid to ask her for help because I felt like it was my job but then I realized that I could not do it by myself. Things have been going much better and I have discovered that when I use the resources around me I not only benefit but so do my students. Just like the Field Guide to teaching says "the classroom teacher does not teach in isolation."