Summer of Learning

I tell you what... I am just having the most reflective summer ever! I mean as a teacher, the school year is where most days are centered around learning, but I am the student in t his season of my life. True, not everything I am learning has sunk in, or even been applied, but that's why they call it a "process". I am so pumped for this upcoming school year. When in all honesty, I'm a bit overwhelmed too, but that's part of it. I love my 5th graders and have always coined myself as the older kids' kind of teacher, but I think I connect best with all age kids. Probably b/c I am kid at heart. Not saying I'm a great teacher b/c I have a lot to improve, but I've always wondered what my "real career" would be. You know, the interesting job--- the photographer, the creator of something, the journalist who gets to travel the world and reall experience life. But who am I kidding? I'm a homebody. I actually hate to travel...without knowing the exact coordinates of the nearest hospital! But I've come across my own revelation. As a teacher, I get to capture moments in children's lives, I get to travel through the things I teach, and I get to write their stories. So in essence, a teacher gets to do all things i thought I was missing out on. Not having many talents--that of an artist, or singer or whatever--I've finally accepted my role. The best part is, it changes day-to-day. Which I happen to love b/c I am soooo FICKLE and easily bored. So yeah me for figuring that much out. I never really thought that my past students would remember me. It hit me the other day when I was at Clinique with my mother-in-law and I saw one of my 6th graders from about 5 years ago. I remembered her name and asked, "are you Kaitlyn?" She sheepishly replied, "Yes, and you are Mrs. Roberts." For some reason that hit me. I mean, it's not a bid deal b/c I remember my teachers, but I guess I never thought of myself as someone that others would remember. This past year my kids said they would never forget how I taught most days standing on furniture or teaching entire subjects in an English accent or dancing and making up ridiculous raps. Today at the mall a 4th grade student who I did not teach came running up behind me and gave me a big old hug and said she was sad that I was moving down to 2nd grade b/c I would not be her teacher next year. And it's nothing that I've done especially well, I think I just connect with kids and give off a genuine love for them. Tonight we went to a game night at students' mom;s house (my small group from church). This kid does not hug anybody--- even momma, and he hugs me. Mom pulls me aside and said that I must be reallyy special b/c he just does not show affection. So I'm thining to myself... if you want to be a really good teacher, you also have to be a student and keep up with how kids learn. So that's what I've devoted myself to doing. It's amazing all the things I'm learning. I love tealking with other teachers and sharing ideas, etc. I'm also learning a lot spiritually and taking a stand for the things I hold dear. That old saying, "if you don't stad for something, you'll fall for anything". That's me. I'm so easily influenced and intimidated by others that I would go along with what anyone says if I did not take initiative to figure what I believe. And it's comforting to know that what I believe and love is TRUTH.
So my point...regardless of your occupation, I think we should all try to learn something new everyday. It's just worth it.