It's so easy to get caught up in all of that junk. It's so easy to feel like teachers are being respected less when politicians slash our funding. It's so easy to be caught up in the negative, which is why I want to share a story that will remind you why teachers are so incredibly amazing. I want to remind you that teachers make a positive difference. I want you to remember the reason you chose this incredible profession.
I met with a parent this past Wednesday. She had some questions about the Spalding method, and how to properly complete homework with her daughter. We talked for about 20 minutes, and I walked her through everything. The morning bell rang, so we started to walk to my classroom door.
The mom started telling me that her daughter had always wanted blonde hair and blue eyes like the princesses or like Barbie. One day, this sweet little girl comes home and says, "Mom, I am so happy that I have brown hair and brown eyes like Mrs. McCleary!" The mom teared up and said, "My daughter never really loved herself until she was in your class."
I looked at her with teary eyes and I realized that all of the hours of prep work, all of the training, and all of the stress were worth it. I realized that I had made a difference in this one girl's life. I realized the amazing power of a teacher.
So, the next time your students are staring at you with blank stares, or you are sitting in yet another professional development class, think about how you are silently influencing the lives of your students (and you may not even realize it). YOU make a difference in this world. As a mom, thank you for what you do.
I heartily agree with you ... it is SO easy to get caught up in the negative, partly because there's so much of it and it never seems to stop! On top of switching to Common Core (with little to no PD) and now Marzano's evaluation, we too have our pay tied to criteria we have zero control over. In the midst of this craziness I've been feeling like education just isn't fun anymore. Sure, I know it can't be all fun and games, but I enjoyed teaching so much more before.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I recently had a ray of sunshine burst through the dark clouds. As a student of mine and her mom were leaving our Family Literacy Night, her mom told me how much her daughter enjoys coming to school, is learning a lot, and has a lot of fun in my class. Fun?!?!? Really??? Because even though I try to make learning enjoyable for students, there is so much pressure to raise scores that I thought fun had gone out the window. To me it feels like test, test, test, teach, test, test, test, repeat. I so appreciate that mom sharing her daughter's experiences with me. It gave me encouragement to continue forging ahead, doing my best to balance the demands of the job along with the educational and development needs of the students!
It's so nice to be reminded the students don't hate us for cramming knowledge down their throat. ;) I know exactly how you feel.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
Carolyn