The Joy of Teaching

When people find out I teach 4 and 5 year olds they wonder how I do it. For starters, they have the attention span equivalent to a goldfish, there is the constant need to tell on others and whine when they are not first in line, some still don't have the capability to hold pencils, scissors, or go to the bathroom before having an accident, and they appear to always have energy, except for those rare moments when they are tired and then they just become grumpy. However, the reality is that teaching the little ones is a blast. Never in my life would I have thought I would enjoy it, but I do. Their constant energy and excitement over the little things is contagious. They really do say the most random things and the most inappropriate moments, but it is at these times when you can't help but laugh. No matter how mad you get, they always forgive and nothing is better than a hug from a five year old to brighten your day. One of the best things though of teaching this age group is the amount they learn in a short period of time. When they started my class most could barely write their name and they had not even started writing, but now my students can read short books and write sentences (spelling may not be perfect though) among many other things. Being that this was the last week of school, I got presents and cards from many of my students. The best came from a letter written by one of the parents in my class, and this one letter made all the hard work and struggles from this year worth while. Knowing that I made a difference in their child's life is what makes teaching so rewarding. How many other jobs give you this satisfaction? Anyways, here is what was written:

"Dear Sarah:
We don't know how many kids you have teach. We don't know how many kids you are going to teach. But we know you will be the special on in Sabrina's memory. Because of you can she be able to read. Because of you can she make her stories."

It's reminders like these that make going to work worthwhile and rewarding. Getting summers off too is also a plus, but who's counting? Oh, and the kids are cute too (just look at the pictures!)