Kids

No one told me when I became a teacher that the kids would be just a small part of it. Between the meetings, committees, paperwork and other professional responsibilities sometimes it is hard to remember why I became a teacher in the first place, until this week...

On Tuesday I overheard two of my kiddos talking, one of them has real trouble making friends, the other one is friendly but doesn't go out of her social circle much... I heard the more popular girl saying "I won't let them call you chubby anymore. I will be your friend and I think you're pretty." I just about melted. Later on that same girl came up to me and said "I did just what the good morning song says- I made a new friend today."

Then I was heading home at the end of the day and one of my students from last year was waiting in the office with his little brother for his parents to finish a meeting. He told me to ask little brother J who he wanted for a teacher next year. I obliged and J promptly replied "Mrs. G" and with feigned shock on my face I said "that's MY name" he grinned and I said "Do you know who I want in my class next year? I want J in my class" and he looked shocked and said "that's MY name!"

Kids are why I stay in the job and days help me get up in the mornings despite all the politics, meetings, budget cuts, and demands on teacher's time.