It is almost impossible for me to believe, but this is the beginning of the 5th school year since I turned in my gradebook and keys and quit writing lesson plans for 8th graders.
Five years since I laughed with my students.
Five years since I read their sometimes heartbreaking/sometimes heartwarming essays and graded spelling tests for hours. (Don't miss those spelling tests a bit!)
Five years since I was shocked by their language and the words of some of their music, and fell for their traps to get me off topic by veering our discussions in another direction than I planned. These discussions were often more fruitful than what I had planned anyway.
Being a classroom teacher was something I loved! Granted, it could be VERY FRUSTRATING and STRESSFUL, but the energy of kids and the creativity of their ideas brought me great JOY.
I loved seeing the back-to-school pictures of all the kids on Facebook, and I know many momma- hearts ached as they prayed for a good school year for their precious children. Everyone wants their son or daughter to have a teacher who cares.
And I know there are GOBS of teachers who do!
When I decided to quit teaching, I hoped God would show me what HE wanted me to do next.
Surprise! He has been faithful to do just that.
While cleaning, I came across these 2 pieces that I wrote years ago.
New Friends
I have been teaching now for what sometimes feels like a couple of minutes (farewell Class of '74) and other times feels like I started when Elvis was King. I love my job for about 106 reasons and last night I discovered a new one.
Some of my former pimply-faced students are now becoming my poised and delightful friends. Even though I only had them in my room for 1-2 periods each day for one year, I feel an-almost-motherly-pride in the adults they are becoming.
It is fun to hear them nervously, hesitatingly call me "Susan" as if I will say snippily, "May I see your agenda, please? That was inappropriate."
It's fun to giggle with them as adults over a shared goof-up, fun to talk about grown-up topics, like "my boys" and "your boys", recipes, clothes, and what God is up to in our lives.
What a blessing!
Closed Chapter
I sit on our back
porch swing
Listening to the
birds sing
Winding down from the
last
Days of another busy
school year
Wondering if anyone
can hear
The fear
In my heart
As I close this
chapter of my life.
No more principal-imposed
deadlines
No more ISAT test
times
Ruining my late-night
rest
Sucking the best
Parts of teaching
Into the slime pits
where they cowered.
Who am I now?
No 8th
grade teacher
Secretly enjoying
people’s praise,
“I could never do
that”-
Take those
child-shaped
Clays
And help mold them
into writers, thinkers, imaginers.
It’s kind of scary.
I’ll allow myself a
fairly
Decent time to say
good-bye
To that part of me
And then I’ll see
What I will be….
Next.
Looking back, I see how faithful God has been to me. He allowed me to participate in the lives of young people all those years as a classroom teacher, and now I have the privilege of teaching Holy Yoga and working with wonderful girls and mentors in The Push Ahead.
I have learned so much, gone places I never imagined, and witnessed God at work. I'm reconnecting with former students and their moms and meeting new folks. It's FUN!
I'm not sharing this because I am anything special, because I am NOT. I'm sharing because the same God who has shown me his FAITHFULNESS and LOVE will do the same for YOU and I'm sure he has been.
Sharing with others gives God glory and is an encouragement during times when we may need building up.
So, how is God showing his faithfulness to YOU? Tell us. Please!
