Today was one of those days that really solidified why I became a teacher. Not that I don't think that every day for some small reason or another but today it really hit me, a few times, that I truly do love my job.
This was a good day. It was the first time in a few weeks that I can honestly say that I was happy all day. With the holidays approaching and having just gotten done with Thanksgiving break, any teacher could tell you that those weeks in between are insane and more difficult than normal. The kids are already in break mode and to be honest, you are too. Even us teachers look forward to long breaks, believe it or not. ; ) But today was awesome. I was happy and in such a good mood all day. I really appreciated the millions of hugs that I get all day, the countless times I hear 'I love you Marisa', even if I am in the middle of teaching. I didn't even mind them getting up and coming to stand by me while I was teaching or sitting next to me when I was working on the projector. So like most days, we sat and did our reading lesson with their arms around me and answering questions. It's probably not how every teacher would like it, because they're not always in their seats - actually, they're rarely there - and half the time they're laying on the floor or standing next to me or laying on a desk but they're involved and paying attention and today I realized that. I wonder sometimes how much I'm actually teaching them, but when I continue to call the "snowflakes" hanging from the ceiling "snowflakes" and they correct me every single time, as a group even, to say "snow crystals", I know that I taught them something!
Something that I think most teachers look forward to is that 'ah ha' moment for their kids. We want to see it click and know that we did that, know that we had a part in that. The same goes for behavior. I have a student who struggles to get work done and I've tried strategy after strategy to get him to turn in work or even do it. I've started with a sticker chart recently which he loves, but he still wasn't doing the work on his own, I needed to be there right next to him, doing it with him. Today we started trying to do it on his own - more independently. He did his first three problems, reluctantly on his own and then I checked them and he got a sticker. I told him to do three more and then come back to me to get another sticker. He was taking awhile to come back and so I was wondering if he was actually even getting his work done but when he came back to me, he had finished the entire assignment! I could not tell him enough how proud of him I was. Needless to say, he earned about three extra stickers for that. I e-mailed mom and the principal and bragged about him to anyone that would listen. The e-mail I got back from mom had me in tears and that was something else to solidify that this is what I want to do and this is what I love to do.
Not only was that enough but my students have known for a week or so now that I wanted a real tree. I have a tiny fake one in my apartment that sits on a table and just doesn't really do it for me... I don't love fake trees, especially tiny ones. I have said about how real trees are my favorite and my kids apparently listen more than I imagined because today after school while I was sitting at my desk working, two of my boys pull up outside the window with a Christmas tree on their four-wheeler. Of course I ran out. We took it to my apartment and they helped me figure out a way to get it to stand up without an actual tree stand - a bucket full of rocks that they helped me find. Then we decorated it and they visited before they had to go home. I had to try not to cry. I cannot, even still, get over how sweet they are. How much they care and how much THEY do for me! I don't know if they'll ever realize how thankful I am for them and for what they do and for that tree alone, but boy do I love those kids.
I know I'm just rambling on about my good day and all but I just had to stop and think about how thankful I am to have such AWESOME, AWESOME people in my life. Between my family and friends and coworkers and kids, I couldn't ask for more.
I'm heading to another village this coming weekend to visit and then after a fun last week of school, I'm heading home - back to Pennsylvania to see the family and friends that I miss so much and to spend my favorite holiday with them. : )
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