The Beauty of Teaching

Typically my blogs and probably actually my next blog involves some of the difficulties of teaching in a critical needs school but this blog will be about more of the positives, I’d like to call it ‘The Beauty of Teaching’.

There definitely are days in the delta where I absolutely love teaching.  I’ve yet to have a perfect day but when things go like you plan it’s a great feeling.  I joined MTC because I knew wanted to teach and even though I wouldn’t want to spend my career teaching at a school where holding kids for four hours is a normal occurrence I am certain that teaching is the career for me.  The real inspiration though for the blog is due to the two days I spent observing my fiancée – another first year teacher at her school over Christmas Break.  She teaches at a relatively small Christian school with well-behaved students.  Watching her teach was one of the more refreshing things I did while I was on my 15-day break.  I was there for several hours and she never once had a bell-ringer, never had to break up fights and never had to tell kids more than once or twice. 

On the days when I get down about teaching I remember that teaching for me won’t always be a constant struggle with the kids.  Even though there are times everyday when I am really encouraged about how my classroom is going there are plenty of times where I feel like my efforts are futile.

I am often reminded though by the verses in Romans 5 about hope.  Just to quote a small part of one of Paul’s book –

³And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

⁴and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

⁵and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

When times were really tough in the beginning of the year I was reminded of the initial part of verse 5 which says ‘ hope does not disappoint’.  It is my hope that by the end of the year, next year and for the rest of my career that I’ll continue to improve so that even if I taught in Greenville for the rest of my life I would be an excellent teacher. 

One of the beauties of teaching is that the same skills that I’m developing this week will be the same skills that help me at my next year and I’ll continue to refine my skills and methods to be the best teacher I can be.