Teaching Is A Gift
For the past two years, I have been fortunate to go to the dinner as the parent of the valedictorian. As proud as I was to attend as the parent, I was just as proud to go as the teacher.
After 26 years at an average of 130 students a year, I have taught approximately 3,400 students. I have developed relationships with families throughout the community sometimes having all of the siblings from one family. Seven years ago, I had my first“ second generation” student. She was the daughter of a young lady from my first year of teaching.
Each year, I am seeing more and more of my former students as the parents of my current students. Fortunately, I am good with remembering names and the parents always seem amazed when I can call them by their first name or remember a story about having them in class. Mathematically it probably will not happen, but if someone tells me I had their grandmother, I know it will be time to leave!
Not every year is great and I have had two years in particular when I wanted to quit. In both cases, I felt that I was not effective in what I was doing and did not feel I reached my students. But, one aspect of my profession that other professions do not have is that I get to start over fresh each year. And it always seems to be better the next year.
April 2013 | pieforseven. com 67