I've thought about this quote many times this school year. My class this year is not like my class last year. Oh, how I miss my class! I see their smiles, hear their "Mrs. Parker!" and wish that they were still mine. Although, they will always be mine in my heart, I have a new class to love.
And, that's exactly what I've tried to do. Love each child for who they are. It's not always easy; even when they are 5. I've had many sleepless nights wondering how to connect with a child so that I can help improve their behavior. Wondering how we will survive the next 100 days if we can not get behaviors under control.
But, I have learned that before I can teach them, I must build a relationship. Talking, learning about their interests and listening to them. The power of creating a relationship is limitless. I witnessed this at conferences, when a child told his mother, "She loves me." It didn't matter what I had taught him, that was all he wanted her to know.
So, as I sit here writing this, I know that I am doing the right thing; one child at a time. Creating and building relationships with kids and families. That's the most important work I can do as an educator.
I'm Mrs. Parker; a wife, mother and a lifelong learner. I am blessed to be a kindergarten teacher where I get to laugh, learn and play alongside my students. My blog is a reflection of my journey as a teacher.
It's so hard, right? I too have that class. It's mentally exhausting. But I agree you are on the right track
ReplyDeleteAfter 10 years of classes that I struggled with year after year, I finally had a class I LOVED from day one last year. It was so hard to see them go, but I now know that a class like that does come around every so often. The quirks and struggles of the other classes made me appreciate that class even more. This year was difficult at first as I didn't have that "instant" connection, and many of my students' families this year had already connected in other ways. I felt like "odd man out", but as the first quarter just ended, I'm loving these guys too :) Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteAmanda