why do I teach?

This is a question that comes up more often than you would think. From friends, to family, to co-workers, parents, doctors, dentist....you name it.

Today was one of those days that I can't help but share with the blogging world (and of course my husband at dinner tonight) my answer. But first I should give some background knowledge. So here it is.

For lent this year I didn't "give up" anything, rather I am making a conscious effort of recognizing the workings of God in my everyday fast pace life that I live. We have really stepped back and tried to find him through our daily grind and often times I lay in bed at night and realize that a whole day has gone by and not once did I recognize God's wonderful workings.

So with that my journey has begun and for that I am ever so grateful. I have so much to learn and I am not ashamed to admit that, instead I am recognizing those flaws and trying to make a conscious effort. It's hard. Plain and simple. But I'm trying.

Back to the original question. Why do I teach? There are so many reasons and sooo many "proper" responses that I could say, but today the answer is this: I teach because I know I make a difference. My kids are my second family. I spend more hours of the day with them then I do my own extended family. I am invested, I care and today I saw it. When all the cylinders work together for a child it continues and forever will, blow me away. I believe that school is like a triangle for a child; at the point of the triangle is the child and on the other two ends are the teacher and parent working together hand-in-hand. God embraces us all.

I am a first grade teacher and proud to say that. It's a tough grade no doubt, developmentally it is in my opinion one of the biggest years in a child's school life. The state goes from testing first graders in the Fall on letter sounds to Spring having children read 53 words per minute. To some who don't have children that might not seem like a big deal but..... it is! My year is surrounded by these benchmark test and I drive my instruction by the data I gather daily, weekly, monthly through many forms of assessments, but there is one thing that holds true. If parents, student and teachers work together I can guarantee that they will find success in the classroom.

Today was one of those days where we celebrated, we clapped, we cheered and we smiled (with some tears of happiness in my eyes) because the success that is happening in my classroom right now is indescribable. There are no words, no examples, and no blog that can describe the feeling that I get   this time each year. It is something that I am so lucky to be a part of. Today I felt his closeness and for that I am grateful.

One very proud student today!