Today was exhausting. Because of the 5th grade musical, teachers were not given any breaks today as the Drama, Art and Music teachers were busy with set production, etc. That means my students and I were cooped up in our classroom without any breaks. I didn't sit or stop talking all day, nor did I use the bathroom. It was exhausting to say the least, but it was a day filled with pride and joy.
Today, my twenty-two students made my heart melt and eyes well up. Today was the culmination of our biography research projects. Each child dressed up as the famous person they have been researching for weeks. They have been writing their five paragraph essays, practicing their performances and gathering their costumes for what seems like a lifetime. They have been anticipating this day for so long... nerves and excitement have filled the four walls of Room 16 for quite some time. Parents were invited to come watch their children perform. This was a big deal to everyone. It was the first time these kids had done any kind of research. It's the first time these children were asked to perform in front of an audience.
It's days like today that remind me why I am a teacher. While I needed an extra dose of caffeine to get through the day today and didn't have an hour span where I stopped talking, the pride I felt watching these kids get up in front of their peers and family to showcase how much they have learned and grown was overwhelming.
I came across an essay today written by a teacher in Florida. Parts of it seemed whiny to me, but parts really struck a chord. I thought some of you, especially you educators, might be able to relate to some of her words...
I Am a Teacher
By Jamee Miller
I am a teacher in Florida.
I rise before dawn each day and find myself nestled in my classroom hours before the morning commute is in full swing in downtown Orlando. I scour the web along with countless other resources to create meaningful learning experiences for my 24 students each day. I reflect on the successes of lessons taught and re-work ideas until I feel confident that they will meet the needs of my diverse learners. I have finished my third cup of coffee in my classroom before the business world has stirred. My contracted hours begin at 7:30 and end at 3:00. As the sun sets around me and people are beginning to enjoy their dinner, I lock my classroom door, having worked 4 hours unpaid.
I am a teacher in Florida.
I greet the smiling faces of my students and am reminded anew of their challenges, struggles, successes, failures, quirks, and needs. I review their 504s, their IEPs, their PMPs, their histories trying to reach them from every angle possible. They come in hungry—I feed them. They come in angry—I counsel them. They come in defeated—I encourage them. And this is all before the bell rings.
I am a teacher in Florida.
Today, I am proud to say that I am a teacher in Glenview.
(pic to come later)...
