I Love My Job

I love my job. There are many things I love about my job from the kids I come in contact with each day to the fact that I am always learning something new. I know deep down in my heart that I was created to do this. I was born to teach. Some teachers are made, but only some are born to teach, and I am one of them.

Teaching isn't as glamorous as many make it out to be. Yeah, I get every summer and school holiday off, but I am expected to cram in 12 months of work into only 9 months. It isn't exactly all that easy. There's frequently irate parents to worry about as well as kids who think they already know everything. (Not like any one of us were ever like this at one time or another in our lives.) I would have to say that the most difficult thing about my job is the parents I have to deal with each and every day throughout the year. Just when I think I am free of a parent or two, I either end up with a younger sibling, or I have to deal with the student the following year as I teach reading to the entire middle school grades at my school. (That's currently just under 50 students right now, but that's still enough).

Being a people pleaser, it can become very difficult for me to be able to do what I feel is right and still keep these pesky parents out of my hair. I learned very quickly last year that I just need to do a good job being consistent and keeping my expectations clear in all things. That way people always know what to expect with me. Last year was a very difficult year for me as it was my first year teaching all on my own, but I would have to say that I survived with not too many problems. I noticed early in the year last year that not many people are quick to praise you when you are doing something wonderful, but then when you do something wrong, people come in droves just to point out your follies and to rub it in your face. What is up with that? I guess it's just human nature to look for the negative things in our lives and to point out others' wrong doings just to keep the attention off of our own inadequacies.

Looking back to last year, I can probably count on one hand all the times where a parent had praised me for something positive I had done in my class. It's not that I'm looking for these opportunities to be praised, but sometimes I just need that confirmation to know that I actually am doing something right and that people appreciate what I do. What can I say? It's who I am. I need that occasional reality check to see how I am doing. I don't even mind hearing where I could improve...I just need some sort of feedback every once in a while just to keep me on track. I just hate it when I go off doing something completely wrong and I am totally blind to the fact that it is wrong in the first place. Somebody, please tell me before I continue to prove my shortcomings over and over again.

Much to my surprise, I received one of those few golden tokens of praise today that will carry me a long way. After sending my students off at the end of the day, one of my students came back to my class to give me a bouquet of flowers and a thank you card his mom had gotten for me. I was just blown away. I could not believe it. This was totally unsolicited and greatly appreciated. It's funny how things like this always come at a time when I least expect it, and from people who I least expect to receive praise from. I guess somehow I am doing right by that family. I had no idea. I guess I will just have to keep on doing what I am doing--whatever it is. I don't look for thank yous like that, nor do I expect to have them every now and then. (I already learned that lesson the hard way.) It's just when super nice things like this happen to me, it just amazes me. I'm still speechless.

Thank you God for giving me those little bits of affirmation when I need them. This was just a reminder that I am doing exactly what He has planned for me, and that I am right where I need to be....for now.