Here we go again: year 14

In just under 3 weeks, I will meet my new group of students. I have been praying for them since June. I do not know who they are, but I know that God has put them in my class for a reason. I know that because He has done it every year for the last 13.

I tell each class when I meet them that I chose them. They are in my class because I chose each and every one of them knowing that they needed me and I needed them. Now, am I exaggerating my power over the placement of students in my classroom? Eh. I prayed in May, before the 4th grade teachers and administrators carefully placed each and every student in a 5th grade class for the next year, that God would have a hand in it. That He would take the children that needed my strengths and my particular teaching style and guide the hands in making sure that those students were on my roster.

Why do I do that? Why do I tell them that I wanted them? Well, because, we all want to be wanted. We all want to be chosen. My first job as an educator is not to educate. My first job as an educator is to establish a relationship. Before we hit the books I make sure that every single one of my students knows that I will be their school "mom" for the next 9 months. I will be their cheerleader. I will hold them accountable. I will laugh with them. I will cry with them. Be frustrated with them. All the things. And once they are mine, they are always mine. I will carry them in my heart long after they have moved on and elementary school is a distant memory.

Those not in education often say, "I don't know how you do it." Ha! Yeah, me either! It is hard. Every day is hard. Trying to figure out how to fit all of the required information into the allotted time. Making sure that I am giving extra help to the ones that need it. Making sure that I recognize that sometimes you just have to stop and have a conversation with your class because they are struggling with life OR you are struggling with life. Modeling for them that it is okay to have a bad day and how to let others know that without lashing out (and how to recognize those feelings in yourself). Teaching 10 and 11 year olds how to honor the differences in each other and how to be respectful and empathetic even if you do not care for that person or may not understand those differences. Learning how to be tactful in your responses. Dealing with interruptions to your schedule when your schedule does not leave room for interruptions. Trying to figure out how to balance work and home (let me know if you have figured that out because I am still on the struggle bus for that one!). Knowing that you need to grow children not just a year but sometimes 2 or 3 years before you can confidently send them off to middle school. Knowing that time is ticking from day one.

It is hard, but it is what I am called to do. I love each and every one of these kids like they are my own. Even when they drive me nutsy wacko coocoo. I love seeing the lightbulb moment when they finally get it. I love watching the kid that says, "I can't do that" become the one that says, "I did it!" I love turning the nonreader into the kid hiding in his/her closet at night because they have to know how the book ends. I love earning the trust of my students because they know I see in them what they want to see in themselves. I love working with parents who want the same things that I do and together we get their child there.

My job is not easy. My job is not for everyone. There are some in education that honestly should not be there. If it does not bring you joy, then it is not the place to be. Period.

How can you help? How can you support a teacher? Why, thank you so much for asking! Everyone has their "love language". There are five:

Words of Affirmation Quality Time Receiving Gifts

Acts of Service Physical Touch

Find out what your child's teacher's love language is and act accordingly. Warning: not all teachers are huggers. Ha!

I can tell you that a Sonic drink goes a long way (receiving gifts) and a kind email will flip a day around (words of affirmation). Ask your child's teacher what their favorite Sonic/Starbucks drink is and sporadically, send your child in with a drink. Then ask your child how the teacher reacted. I had a student one year that discovered that I liked the pull apart Twizzlers. The sweet boy kept me in Twizzlers. I cannot tell you how much that meant to me. I had another student that brought me a doughnut every single Friday. I do not care what diet I was on, I ate the donut every week and looked forward to it EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Send a sweet email, send a sweet note... just because. We save those. I hang them on my wall in front of my desk for those days when I am asking God why I do what I do.

In about three weeks, I will be neck deep into school again. I will try and find balance. I will try and stay ahead of the game. But, at the end of the day, I am all in. We do what we need to do to get it done. Year 14 kiddos, buckle up we are going to go on one memorable ride!