We Make Three » Blog Archive » An Eye-Opening Experience

I hate using the word “stressful”. It’s easily flung about. So let me just say that I have an intense job that challenges my composure and taps into my life experience. I have a ton of PTO in the bank and needed to use some. So I took off Friday to volunteer in Jake’s 1st grade class.

Holy stinkin’ cow.

His teacher, Mrs. B., is a saint, sent straight from the Lord above. This lady, who has no children of her own, treats each of her first graders as her own offspring. I was overwhelmed by how her feet never touched the ground, moving from one exercise to the next, without even having time to consult her lesson plan. It’s funny how quickly I felt myself immersed in the elementary experience. The smell of Elmer’s glue sent me so far back in time that I could have been one of her students, except little people kept referring to me as “Mrs. C”, and “Jake’s mom”, shocking me back to reality.

So drowning in the busy work of stamping stars from shiny paper, stuffing folders with homework assignments, and delivering invitations for boy scouts into the kids’ mailboxes, that she stays until 8:00 each night just to get lesson plans done. She tells me I was a big help. I’m not really sure I put a dent in anything.

I know she needs more than I can offer. She needs an army of organized people. A support system of safe confidants to complain to when she simply can’t take that little snot in row two any longer. I can tell you that I was done after one day. How does she do it?

I’m not sure how many of you are teachers. But I have a new respect for all of you. Thank you for everything you do for our kids. And if you aren’t a teacher, could you please hug one for me?

9 Comments so far

AMEN! I think teaching requires some very special folks.

My son’s preschool teacher sounds a lot like that. I am constantly amazed at her ability to be as composed and content after 2 1/2 hours with 15 - 4 year olds without help. The activities she does are so creative and she seems to absolutely adore each and every one of those kids.

I will hug the one in my house tonight It does take a very special person who makes so many sacrifices for the little ones in the world!

Thank you for posting this. It’s amazing how many people think teaching is easy! I’ll hug my staff on Monday!

Oh, this blessed me! I taught middle & high schoolers for 7 years. Thanks!

I worshiped my daughter’s elementary school teachers. With all that is expected of them, I think it is a miracle that any teaching gets done. Thank you for reminding us how much we owe them.

I knew there were a lot of teachers out there! Erin, Dawn, Katrina, let me say that I never thought it was easy. But as a coworker said to me today, it’s always a good thing to step in someone else’s shoes now and then. Mrs. B is getting a NICE Christmas gift.

So, so true. I know I couldn’t do it. but I’m so appreciative of the teacherly profession.

Sadly, teachers are so underappreciated in our society. (And overblamed)

Ah yes, I remember when my kids were in 3rd grade and I volunteered 1x a week for 1.5 hours to help with the math lessons. I went home after a measly 1.5 hours wiped out and ready for a nap. No way could I do that every day. Gave me a whole new boatload of respect for teachers, and I had a lot before that anyway!!

RSS feed for comments on this post.

TrackBack URI

Leave a comment
Line and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed:

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Moon and Back Studios

RECENTLY

Categories

Blogroll

Pages

Archives

Talk Amongst Yourselves

subscribe

author

good stuff

Flickr