As I left work today, my heart was full of pain. It was weeping for several of my students. As a young girl, my literary heroines were Anne Shirley and Laura Ingles-Wilder. They made teaching look so romantic. Of course they all had the difficult students, but in the end everything turned out perfect (I know it's fiction). I have been waiting for that dream to come true. Today I changed my mind.
What did I learn today? Teaching is messy. It's been messy and hard since day one, but I thought it would get better over time. If all my students were robots, teaching would be the easiest job in the world. A robot doesn't have to deal with a crazy home life, a learning or emotional disability, or bullies. A robot isn't alive. Life is what gets in the way of teaching and learning. Some days I feel like I deal more with the kids' emotions than the actual curriculum I am suppose to teach. A mentor teacher once told me that you are not just a teacher but also a counselor. You have to figure out each student's personality and find the best way to reach them.
The conclusion I came to, as I sat in the parking lot on the verge of tears, is that I'm glad teaching is messy. I don't think I would want it any other way. Every one of my students has something special to offer. They are each uniquely made. I am so honored to be a part of their messy lives.
love this and you and our kids (yes, all of them!)
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