A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. ~Author Unknown

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  All around the U.S. teachers are being recognized for their hard work.  I tell you what, teachers need a week to be appreciated.  Teachers put up with a lot, and they deserve to be recognized for their hard work.  I think teachers have one of the most important jobs in the world.  The only other job that is more important is being a parent.  So, if you are a teacher, I want to say thanks.  Thank you for all of your hard work and love you put into your job.  Just know how appreciated you are, not just this week but always.  If you know someone that is a teacher, tell them “thanks” this week!

 

I have learned so many valuable lessons this year as a first year teacher.  I would like to share five things I have learned from teaching (in no particular order):

 

11.       Losing one of my favorite students was extremely hard for me.  Don’t worry he didn’t die, he just moved away.  I was very attached to him, though.  I kind of saw him as my “project”.  He was someone that just needed love.  I still get emotional thinking of him.  I know, I know.  I am just so darn maternal, I can’t help it.

 

2.       I have learned not to tell students my age.  Not because I am embarrassed or whatever.  I wanted to tell them because I wanted to be very transparent with them.  Well, I think they took advantage of me a bit more knowing I was only 12 years older than them.  I will keep that a secret next year.

 

 

3.       I see God’s love for me so much more now.  I have given so much grace and mercy to my students, all year long, all day long.  But what they do?  Mess up.  They don’t care.  They forget how nice I am to them.  This has given me a glance into my own life.  I have realized how I do the exact same thing to God, all year long, all day long.  God still loves me even though I am screw up.  I have seen my love for my students; it’s an unconditional, Christ-like love for them.

 

4.        Going along with number 3, I have realized more than ever that teaching is my true calling in life.  During the first few months of teaching I would go home and cry.  I did not cry because teaching was hard or because my students were mean to me.  I would cry because it became clearer just how much God created me for the job of teaching.  I love knowing that God created me with a heart for kids: annoying, smelly, loud, disrespectful, sweet, smart, immature, opinionated, beautiful adolescents!  James 3:1 tells me, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”  I know this is mainly referring to pastors, but I also know as a SCHOOL teacher, I hold lives in my hands every day.  Every day I choose whether I am going to serve God by loving my students, or if I am simply going to just “teach” them.

 

5.       My words are HUGE.  A lot of the time I don’t think the kids are really listening when I speak.  They do.  They hear the bad things I say a lot more than the good.  My words can bring a child up or tear them down.  I have seen the result of both.  I will tell you, it hurts when you find out things you have said that truly hurt your kiddos.  It makes the verse from James 1:19 so much more meaningful to me.  “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”  Boy is it hard to practice being slow to anger.