How I Feel About Teaching

After a difficult year last year, I'm happy to report that this year is as different from last as night from day. Or summer from winter. Or milk chocolate from dark chocolate. I'm loving teaching!

Yesterday was a day I especially loved it, since I found out one of my seniors had written his "someone who influenced you" college application essay about me. I'm making a difference! Everyone IS making a difference, and everyone has a particular place in God's plan, but it's nice to get the concrete reminders. My favorite line from the essay was something along the lines of, "I would think she was impervious to other influences if it weren't for the fact that, since she has known me, she has developed a reluctant appreciation for martial arts." Hahahah - love :)

One of the things I love most about teaching is the classroom discussions. Every once in awhile I'll hit this gem of a question that will set kids off and running, digging into the meaning of a story, and even bringing up examples from their own lives to back up the point the author is making. Especially in the high school I have been edified by student insights, and have even added to my lesson plans for future years based on what the kids contribute. They are smart, and they are precious, and they are discovering truth and it's exciting to see. Sometimes we get into the really important questions of life - those things that kids are trying to figure out as they near adulthood. I love that I can give them Truth.

One of the great side benefits is that my students couple my name with those of famous authors. :) This is not due to any greatness on my part, obviously, but to the fact that I was the one who told them about these authors. Still, it gives me GREAT joy to have about ten heads whip around to wherever I am when the chapel speaker mentions John Donne, or the MFA Art tour guide references Achilles. And then I just glow about how educated my kids are... even if every other high school student in the universe knows who Achilles is. But not every other high school student can tell you of Achilles' redemption, or his entrance into the fellowship of suffering!

Of course, these great moments comes with some downsides as well. Sometimes I cannot believe how blunt a junior high student can be. "Miss Murray! What happened to your neck? It looks HIDEOUS!" Or "this is boring!" Or "Did you know when you drink you look like this [pantomime, pantomime]?" Wowwwwwww. I've been trying to drill it into one of my students' heads that if you must preface your remark with "no offense, but..." you probably shouldn't be saying it.

I imagine many young moms can relate to this aspect of things:)

But fortunately the good outweighs the bad. After all, it is also the junior high students who most readily dish out the words of aff, making cute little bookmarks that say "#1 Teacher" and such. Bless their little hearts.

I reminded myself last year that I'm not in teaching for what I get out of it. I'm there to serve others. But I must say, these sweet, heartwarming perks make it a lot easier!

God bless each of you, as you serve where He's placed you. And may you, too, rejoice in those little "perks" that make it easier!