1. So that someone could possibly learn from my experiences...((cause I certainly do!))
2. So that you may share in the hilarity of my daily encounters. :]
I never actually wanted to be a teacher because I aspired to be what everyone else wants to be when they are growing up. You know, a doctor that saved a bunch of lives or a lawyer that put bad people behind bars or an astronaut that discovered what space was really like. I even, at one point, wanted to be a mortician ((I know...gRoSs!)) just because I thought that it would be interesting. I think I also strayed away from the whole "I'm gonna be a teacher when I grow up" thing because that's what everyone kept telling me I would be perfect for. Studies show that I tend to be slightly stubborn every once in a while and I truly believe that that is the reason I went to college for Forensic Chemistry instead of teaching!
However, as He always does, God totally changed my path! After graduating from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Sciences, I have found myself not only a grown-up ((how did that happen?!)), but also a high school science teacher! Actually, I am a Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Agriculture, and Home Economics teacher. Quite a load, but incredibly interesting, nonetheless! :]
What I didn't realize was that being a teacher is all of those careers every child wants to be combined! My mother just sent me an email with a really neat poem called Heart of A Teacher. It pretty much sums up what my job is. Here it is:
HEART OF A TEACHER (The Creation of a Teacher)
The
Good Lord was creating teachers. It was His sixth day of "overtime,"
and He knew that this was a tremendous responsibility, for teachers
would touch the lives of so many impressionable young children. An angel
appeared to Him and said, "You are taking a long time to figure this
one out."
"Yes," said the Lord, "but have you read the specs on this order?"
TEACHER:
- must stand above all students, yet be on their level
- must be able to do 180 things not connected with the subject being taught
- must run on coffee and leftovers
- must communicate vital knowledge to all students daily and be right most of the time
- must have more time for others than for herself/himself
- must have a smile that can endure through pay cuts, problematic children, and worried parents
- must go on teaching when parents question every move and others are not supportive
- must have six pair of hands
"Six pair of hands," said the angel, "that's impossible."
"Well,"
said the Lord, "it is not the hands that are the problem. It is the
three pairs of eyes that are presenting the most difficulty!"
The angel looked incredulous, "Three pairs of eyes...on a standard model?"
The
Lord nodded His head. "One pair can see a student for what he is and
not what others have labeled him as. Another pair of eyes is in the back
of the teacher's head to see what should not be seen, but what must be
known. The eyes in the front are only to look at the child as he/she
'acts out' in order to reflect, 'I understand and I still believe in
you,' without so much as saying a word to the child."
"Lord," said the angel, "this is a very large project and I think you should work on it tomorrow."
"I
can't," said the Lord, "for I have come very close to creating
something much like Myself. I have one that comes to work when he/she is
sick, teaches a class of children that do not want to learn, has a
special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own,
understands the struggles of those who have difficulty, and never takes
the students for granted."
The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating and said, "It is too soft-hearted."
"Yes," said the Lord, "but also tough. You cannot imagine what this teacher can endure or do, if necessary."
"Can this teacher think?" asked the angel.
"Not only think," said the Lord, "but reason and compromise."
The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger over the teacher's cheek.
"Well,
Lord," said the angel, "your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told
you that you were putting too much into this model. You cannot imagine
the stress that will be placed upon the teacher."
The
Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teacher's
cheek. It shone and glistened in the light. "It is not a leak," He
said. "It is a tear."
"A tear? What is that?" asked the angel. "What is the tear for?"
The
Lord replied with great thought, "It is for the joy and pride of seeing
a child accomplish even the smallest task. It is for the loneliness of
children who have a hard time to fit in, and it is for compassion for
the feelings of their parents. It comes from the pain of not being able
to reach some children and the disappointment those children feel in
themselves. It comes often when a teacher has been with a class for a
year and must say good-bye to those students and get ready to welcome a
new class."
"My," said the angel, "the tear thing is a great idea. You are a genius!"
The Lord looked somber. "I didn't put it there."
Okay, Biblically, it leaves a little to be desired, but it TOTALLY gets the point across! These are only a few of the reasons I absolutely LOVE my job and thank the Lord for allowing me this career that so many try, but few remain in!
**P.S. This whole "blogging" thing is super interesting and I'm excited about starting to document My Life As Mrs. K*! :]
