After doubting my love of teaching and contemplating my future, I was reminded in two very simple ways by two very different student interactions why I can’t imagine doing anything else.
1. To prep for my trip out west, I have begun fake baking to get my skin prepared for the Nevada and Arizona heat and sun. As a result, my skin is very dry. A parent several years back bought me the most fabulous smelling coconut body lotion that makes me think of spring break, so I dug it out this morning and put it on. A student told me today that I smelled like Florida. What a great analogy, I did smell like Florida and I put it on to remind me of going to Florida. She understood implicitly, amazing.
2. I have a first grade boy in my class who is one of the neatest kids I’ve ever had. He is a very, very intelligent kid who is so motivated to learn and push himself–he gets giddy about it! To boot, he is a very kind kid with a good sense of humor–he’s not obnoxious about any of his talents, just very accepting of himself. At any rate, as he was heading out of class to get his backpack and snowclothes to go home, he stopped and told me, “I can’t believe it’s Friday already. It seems like it was just Monday. I just had so much fun this week, I can’t believe it’s the weekend!” Kids rarely admit that school was fun or that they enjoyed themselves, yet he did. A very rewarding moment for a teacher doubting her talents.
Another very powerful, simple reminder: I only have 16 school days before Spring Break. I quote a fellow teacher when I say, “I think I can, I think I can…”