Despite all the bullshit from politicians, the district, administration, and parents; I go to school and my students are happy to be with me, happy to get my attention and I’m happy to give it.

I love meeting their needs, even their tiniest ‘owie’ – even if it’s just an “Oh… I’m sorry your tummy hurts.”  Which is really all they want, just a quick dose of love.

It’s great to be able to provide a positive attitude ( I do have one.), be funny, get as much light and fresh air into the room as I can manage, and make the day as enjoyable as possible. I can be aware that sitting at a desk in a plastic chair for hours can be a miserable experience otherwise.  On hot days we go outside and read in the shade of the lawn.

I can read aloud from the best books I know they will love and be the hammiest actor to bring the story to life.  I can introduce powerful new vocabulary words and methods of comprehension while reading.   It’s so excellent to watch the students, often the ones with ADD become totally engrossed in the story I am reading because it’s a good story and I am reading it well.   I can read the story exactly the way I feel it was intended to be read.

In my room I can provide the curriculum I feel is the most effective.  I can set the high standards and let the petty things go.   Every student is capable of being an excellent person and I  get to hold nothing but the highest expectations.  There is no place like a classroom where a positive attitude can have such a significant impact.  It would never even occur to me to be one of those teachers who gets frustrated and judges a child as, “You’ll never amount to anything.”  Any judgement upon a child other than, “well, you’re not quite there yet but will be” is unethical.  If teachers took an oath like doctors one of the lines would be ‘never condemn for life.’

I love being able to treat children as just people, very young innocent people who love to play all the time, but still people nonetheless.   Their hearts are still growing.   But I get to treat everyone with respect.

Yes, students can be incredibly needy or quietly, if not outright openly defiant. Yes, parents can be difficult and defensive and completely blind with regard to their own children. Yes the political system has turned education into a political football as well as a giant money grab over standardized testing.  Yes, every ‘educator’  is constantly trying to ‘fix’ (never just improve) a system which may have a few bad parts because we lack the political will to fund education evenly in the name of “local control.”  In spite of all that, I love the thrill of helping children each day, of just enjoying their company, and making a difference in their lives.   Hokey as hell, but so true.   This is a job that matters and I love it.