On Monday I start my last week of teaching at Monroe Elementary. I am being laid off. I truly love my job and consider being a teacher a great honor and blessing. It is through teaching that I am able to use a gift that I believe without a doubt the Lord has given me. Before you ask, I don’t know what is next. I want nothing more than to teach in some capacity. Though it is not easy and honestly hurts quite badly, I am learning quite a bit about faith and how God sustains, provides, and strengthens.
I started teaching at Monroe three years ago. My first year was extremely difficult – I had some “special” students and realized teaching took a lot of hard work. Since then I have completely embraced the profession and LOVE my job. Though there are moments when the students cease to be cute and gently rub on my last nerve – I love them and pray for them daily as they encounter things I have never had to deal with. Their stories have made me laugh and made me cry – I love to see the joy of learning and life through their eyes. In fact there are many things I have loved about room 33 – here is list of 33 things that immediately come to mind.
33 things I have loved about room 33
1. Bouquets of weeds after recess
2. Shoe laces
3. High fives and hugs at the end of the day
4. “Good Morning, Miss Gonzalez”
5. A face full of awe after they actually read
6. Coloring pages and hand drawn pictures
7. Students banished to their own “island”
8. That ONE student
9. The endless parade of High school musical, Jonas brothers, Hannah Montana, and every superhero
10. Watching students learn how to be students
11. Brain breaks
12. Cheesy kids songs
13. Sparkle – the excellent spelling game
14. Praying for my students every morning
15. Hearing EVERY detail about their new shoes, haircut, shirts, etc..
16. Jump Rope for Heart
17. Trips to the library
18. Playing handball with the students at recess
19. Reciting fun phonics rhymes
20. Sound Spelling Cards – especially n for noodles
21. Using cookies, giraffes, and my friend Brooke for every example
22. Creating new worksheets, songs, and poems to help students learn
23. Using math manipulatives – blocks, clocks, cubes, and counters
24. Little girl’s costume jewelry
25. Questions and statements that have nothing to do with the lesson
26. Watching kids learn that every choice has a consequence
27. Becoming a classroom “family”
28. The wonderful imagination of kids
29. Upper grade “helpers”
30. Students learning responsibility
31. Bulletin boards covered with hard work
32. Wading through rain puddles with 22 students behind me like little ducks
33. Memories both hard and happy of the 62 students I have had the privilege and honor of teaching
I had my last week of teaching two weeks ago. It is a sad moment, and I will be praying for you. I can relate to so many of those reasons for loving teaching. It is truly amazing and the most rewarding job I have ever had. I pray God will lead you to a new place where you can use your talents that He has given you.