This IS Why I Teach

I haven't posted in forever. However, I got an email from my principal today...like I always do on Sunday afternoons with a link to a video for me to watch. It made me think and I felt like it was blog worthy. This video was titled "Every Student Needs a Champion." As I began to prep for my week ahead, I watched it...as I always do and it was a good reminder as I jump into 2nd semester.

This past week we had dinner with some new friends from church and they asked me why I left my job at Journey, if I liked it so much. My answer: because I missed the kids. I've been asked that question a lot lately. It seems so bizarre to so many people that I would leave a job that was so amazing and so flexible to go back to the "trenches" of teaching. The truth is, I do miss my job at Journey. I miss the awesome people I got to work with everyday' and I miss the front row seat that I had to watching God change lives. I know it would have been selfish for me to stay there though because it was comfortable.

Going back to the classroom was not easy for my family. My husband has sacrificed a lot, my kids have sacrificed a lot (although they are little and don't know it) and I have sacrificed a lot. I've had to learn to balance my time all over again...and 6 months later I still am, although I'm doing better than I was in August. This school year has been a learning process, but we'll get there. My laundry may not always get done and my house is usually not clean...but I do get time with my family and I am determined to not miss out on my babies being young. Going back to the classroom has taught me dependency on God like I've never known. That's a whole different post though...

I am so very thankful I said "yes" when God told me to go back. I absolutely LOVE getting up every morning and seeing 57 young womens' faces. Sometimes some of them drive me up the wall, but they're worth it. Here's a link to the video if you're curious....TED

This is the kind of teacher I pray Jesus makes me to be and that He uses me to point every student to Himself. Of course teaching them to read and write is important, and making sure they know the ins and outs of history...it's why I do what I do. There is deeper meaning though, to teach them and love them to the best of my ability so that He can be glorified when it's all said and done.