Just A Teacher

So I've been struggling with a couple concepts or thoughts since I've been teaching and going back to school. This rant may go one of two ways so stay tuned. :)

First off, in 14 days will mark my second full year completed teaching preschool.  There are very few things that I love more than teaching.  Maybe working in hospitality and sales and retail, etc. has prepared me for the drama, politics, etc of teaching... Mostly administrative drama and politics. I had a person actually say to me this week, "wow, working with kids must be great and it's not stressful like other jobs, that must be really nice."  

I had to literally filter the first 128 thoughts that almost came out of my mouth. I simply said, "actually I've worked in a lot of industries including finance and sales and this is by far the most stressful job I've ever had."  That being said I LOVE my job and I LOVE my kids... Most days I even love my boss and my coworkers... There is no way that I would be killing myself working full time and going through this graduate program packing on the student loans if I did not 100% believe that I was created by the hand of God to teach children. I hear stories all the time about mission work and how powerful that experience is... And I would love the opportunity but that is not what I was born and put on this earth to do. I was sent here to teach.

Enter rant 2.  This summer I had the horrible experience of attempting to take Calculus 2. For starters, this man I'm sure is a solid person, probably funny, and maybe nice.  He was a horrible teacher. He is VERY smart... But that's the challenge with teaching, you can't just be smart.  When I signed up for this job... Well to be honest I had no clue what I was getting into. When I committed myself to this career, I reached a whole new level of understanding.  I made a commitment to every child that walks thru my classroom door and who will walk thru it in the future to teach them.  That doesn't mean to talk at them and explain a concept and repeat it over and over until they memorize it.  That means I decided by choice to learn everything about how this child learns... And I challenge myself to change my teaching until this child understands.  

Each person is so unique, BIG or small, which means that there is no one way that I will ever find that will teach every child the same thing.  But I made a commitment to these children that I will figure out exactly what is going to make it click for them.  I also committed to empowering each child to take their learning in their own hands because they are capable individuals.  Some teachers have made me feel so helpless about understanding something... And that is heartbreaking. I never want to make a child feel that way.  It is my job to make them understand... Truly understand.  It is a challenge... But that feeling you get when a child lights up because they understand and they are proud of him or her self... It's irreplaceable. And that is why I teach.

Thank you God for this burning passion in my heart.