Being a Teacher

Today was the kind of day where I think it's easier to be a great teacher than a not-so-good one. I am finally getting to the point, after eight years, in which I feel I am making a difference. I am making kids think. Hard. I am creating an enthusiasm for learning in them. I am sparking emotions and creativity. I am moving them to small bits of action. There is so much that comes from conversation, from emotional outbursts, from feedback giving and receiving, from a conference or an email with a parent, from a debriefing session with a child whose just broken down. Today was the kind of day that made me remember why I went into teaching in the first place. I LOVE these kids. Every single one of them. Even the one I didn't think I would "like" very much this year. Yes, we have our little issues, but it would be so much harder for me to be a crappy teacher than a good one because these kids make me WANT to work. They motivate me to become a better teacher and I think (and hope) that I motivate them to become better learners. It's all about growth and I am so very grateful when growth is realized, celebrated and continued. By me. By them. I think teaching is one of the most rewarding occupations I could have chosen. Today was the kind of day where I can say I'm proud to be a teacher, that I am good at what I do and that I couldn't imagine doing anything else.