Teaching

Over the past few days, I have thought a lot about being a teacher. For five years I was fifth grade teacher. Not just a teacher, but a great teacher. Some people do not know their calling in life... I did. I was supposed to be a teacher of 10 and 11 year old children. Often I think about my five years. I learned so much from those children. I learned how to have confidence, how to laugh so hard you cried, how to speak to parents in a kind, thoughtful yet stern manner, how a book can bring joy to a child, how to hug a child when they need it most, I learned... I learned lessons in life that have truly stayed with me. With a deep breathe, for now, my time in the classroom is over. I am now the teacher of a 16 month old. Teaching Morris at home is nothing like teaching my 10 year old kids. Morris learns things everyday like animals and their sounds, letters, names of foods, how to count... Yet, there will be many things in life that only a classroom teacher can teach him. I have started thinking about all the teachers that will cross Morris' path. I pray that God will pick the right teachers for Morris. Teachers that show love, teach with kindness, don't worry about every workbook page, think outside of the box... mostly I hope for teachers that will see the potential in him. I have taught with many people that were tired. Tired of teaching, tired of children, tired of life... Hopefully, the "tired" teachers want cross our path.

Lord, I lift up all the teachers Morris will encounter. Those teachers will come in all forms: parents, grandparents, Sunday school leaders, classroom teachers, coaches.. may each of those teachers be blessed and ready to deal with the challenges of a new day.