There are days as an educator I leave school frustrated and overwhelmed with my day. Other days when I walk out of the building,I feel as though I finally made a difference in a student’s life. As I reflect on those days, I remind myself that this is the reason I choose to be a teacher.
I have never had a “WoW! Best Day Ever!” I do have several days that as I walk out of the building and reflect on the day that I can honestly say, “Yes, I love my job and this is why I became a teacher.” Many of these days arise from relationships and interaction with my students. As a teacher, I have taught 4th grade, 5th grade and Upper Elementary Special Education. I recall the many times my students have brought me a small token of their love and affection in cards they have created, pictures they have colored or letters of appreciation they share with me. I have enjoyed getting each and every “gift” from my students. They are not expensive, fancy gifts, but gifts from the heart.
As a young teacher, my goal was to make a difference in a student’s life. As I reflect on my goal as an older teacher, I realize that making a difference in a student’s life is only part of the plan. In order to make a difference in a student’s life, I need to be more than a teacher. I need to be someone my students can count on and trust in. As time has moved on I realized that every students is a precious part of my classroom. I want to share in their victories, special events, and even disappointments. Just this week, students have shared with me about a dad having knee surgery and not doing well, a dog who ran away and finally returned on Easter, and a students who is excited to join Boy Scouts. When I search for the “Best Day”, I think of all those stories, crafts, and life events that my students choose to share with me each and every day. I enjoy being a part of their lives and getting to know them. With this all said, I still hope to make a difference in my students life, each day as someone they can trust, count on daily in good and bad, and who is always their cheerleader.
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