Another Year In The Books

Another year is almost in the books! It's crazy to think that in the short time we have with these kids we become family. For the first half of this school year my class was the one people cringed at as they walked by. This right here was my life.

 

I wouldn't trade that experience. I learned more about myself as a teacher and what it means to love on kids than I ever could have imagined. Tomorrow I say goodbye to a group of students that I have laughed, cried, and loved. This group is special because I didn't just teach them, but they taught me. 

I have only taught three years so far and in this short time over half of the people I know who went to college to teach have quit. I think about this last year and I realize I can understand how someone can walk away. Even with the passion and the calling to be in this field; it can be so completely thankless from everyone except the big eyes and the little hands yearning for an education. There are so many outside factors that make this job a difficult one, but looking at these little minds we get to help shape?! That's why I love this job. I get to make up lessons that engage their minds. I get to use imagination, games, and play to teach curriculum. I did not become a teacher to read from a script, stand in front of the room, and give directions. I became a teacher to create, innovate, teach, and let the students become the teachers. It's easy to lose sight of that and so many do. So many become burned out and walk away from something that requires passion and love for what we do every day. As I say goodbye to another set of little people, I think how lucky I am to have shared my struggles and success with them this year. When hard years come, and they will, I hope other teachers will be able to see it through and not lose their drive and passion. 

Possible is in Impossible

Tomorrow morning I have to present my e-portfolio to the student teachers that have been completing their practicum at my school. Now, when I had to do this e-portfolio it was the last thing I cared about and I dreaded having to present it to my own peers. The funny thing is, I ended up having to present it again for my university's staff and it was filmed for future use (supposedly). Where is it now is what I want to know... hah!

Having to give this presentation tomorrow made me go back and look at the project I had put together and although I did not value it at the time, I have found a lot of value in it now. Going back and rereading my educational philosophy and the lesson plans I put together early on... wow! I can say fundamentally still the same teacher, but boy can I see growth in where I was and where I am now. There was also a lot of passion in the job itself and the role we play in student's lives. It is so easy to lose sight of why we are in this. There are so many outside factors that put pressure on the teacher and take the joy out of teaching. I never want to be at that point!

When I made the e-portfolio I was setting out to make the impossible possible to children. I think that serves as a pretty great reminder that even on the roughest day, the days lessons do not go quite as planned, or that anchor chart does not look as perfect as you want it, there is still a kid out there that you have impacted. We are in this to get those kids to love learning and to want to be life-long learners. Lets not forget that. It's a biggie.

Just for kicks... my e-portfolio everyone. I'll leave that there for a reminder that yea... we get to teach kids from all different backgrounds everyday and we get to make an impact on their love and yearning to learn. We all started somewhere in our teaching careers. This is where my journey began.

My E-Portfolio

Teacher Truths

I have sat down to write this post many times over the last few months, but I had writers block. I think we as teachers have a hard time admitting when we have had it tough. (Me included) I went into this school year with rose-colored glasses with all of these ideas and amazing things I was going to do in my classroom. I definitely had new ideas  to share, but my role as a teacher was tested by a student like no other.

We go through the education program with these idealist views of what teaching is going to be like. Over and over we are told about the impact we will have on molding these little minds for the future. While this is true... nobody ever took the time to mention how much I would learn from them. There was never a class that started with... "Here is the truth about teaching. Sometimes it's hard."

The second day of school a child entered my classroom that rocked my whole perspective. The student was one of those that is in everyone else's room but yours. The one that kicks walls, throws things, hides under tables, and on occasion hisses like a cat. Maybe not everyone else has experienced the cat hissing, but it was definitely a test of my ability not to laugh. Hah! I grew to learn this child's entire heartbreaking story. The amount of things that had occurred in this six year old's life don't happen to most people that are fully grown. I came to realize that the four walls of my classroom were the only safe place that this student knew. 

I had lessons to challenge my students just as I had planned at the beginning of the year. They just didn't all go according to plan. This basically sums up many many manyyy lessons.

It took all of my time and energy to address this child's needs. It got better as the year went on. There were still many moments where my patience were tested and the lessons I was teaching turned into something entirely different. This student ended up moving into what I still hope and pray was a much more stable and loving place for them.

This child really made me think about how our job is like no other. There is no going home and forgetting about the kiddo who you know doesn't have enough to eat or the one that has no books to read or even the one that has gone through terrible experiences. Teaching is not always about the cute laminated neon colored centers or the pretty anchor charts we create, but more often than not it's about what we can offer to these kids in a stable place to be... even just for a little while. 

I love to create and make activities out of nothing but my own imagination and standards that I have dissected; that's what I get to bring to the table. I get to bring engaging lessons, structure, and a friendly environment. What I didn't know is that these kiddos could teach me more than I even knew I had left to learn. If you've gone through a tough year of teaching or you go through it in the future I hope you can think of what you're learning from the little people and what an impact you are making in lives that may have never before seen the kind of love you have to share.