Teachers

I have spent the last few days back at work, spending my days with fellow teachers, all of us frantically preparing for the new little faces that will greet us next week. We want our rooms to look perfect and to be inviting. We want our lessons to be fun and engaging. We want our technology to be working (I've seen the emails guys-I promise I'm working on it!) And most of all, we want to make a difference...to maybe be "that" teacher that a student always remembers for being fun, creative, and, most of all, caring. 

As I sit here and fret over my to-do list (which I'm not even kidding, is five typed pages long), I think about my role as a teacher. Yes, it is my job to impart knowledge, perhaps even a little wisdom. But another big part of being a teacher is actually being a learner. We are always learning new things...curriculum, new behavior strategies or engagement strategies, new technology...sometimes voluntarily and other times not as much. But beyond that, I learn from the kids. I learn new ways to teach something so that everyone understands. I learn how to teach kids skills for life. And I am reminded every day of the wonder and joy in learning.

As a mom, I am also a learner. Sure, I learned how to make bottles...how to get that perfect bath water temperature...how to get baby vomit out of a car seat and poop out of a white onesie (although let's be real, that was often accomplished by utilizing the trash can.) But I also learned about selflessness, patience, and unconditional love. I have never been less selfish as when I was caring for Henry. Now, when my dog starts whining at 5:15 in the morning, I get cranky. When Henry started rustling around that same time, I felt blessed to have that quiet morning playtime with him. I had more patience than ever before...I had no problem rocking him for an hour. In fact, I often kept rocking even after he fell asleep.

As we go into this new school year, I am looking forward to learning...from my colleagues, from others in my field, from books and articles and videos. But most of all, I look forward to learning from the kiddos. Bring it on 2016-17!!