Today begins a new school year. Although I won’t meet most of my students until Friday, today is the official start. Every year I’m excited and nervous and sometimes even dreadful of what the new year might bring. However, I’ve felt mostly excitement this year. So what’s different?
I’ve decided to give this school year to the Lord. Psalms 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.” Some versions use the word righteous instead of good. But this doesn’t just happen. We must choose to give it to God.
It’s so easy to begin grumbling and complaining about everything. Even after trying to hype my husband, who is also a teacher, up about this school year, I found myself complaining about certain aspects of our professional development. However I’m reminded of Philippians 2:14-15, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
So this year I’m choosing to give it all to God. Im choosing to be content in my circumstances. Im thanking God for the little lives I get to impact everyday. Im thanking God for the people I get to work with and for.
Im excited for this year, and I’m hopeful for where God is going to use me.
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Romans 11:36
This school year has been difficult to say the least. I’ve questioned everything I know, and I’ve spent more hours at home trying to help students understand the material. I have students this year that just don’t care. These aren’t students who can’t do. They just don’t want to do.
I’ve done everything I know to do from taking away recess to giving lunch detention and calling home. I’ve reached out to administration to no avail. I feel lost. And yet if these students don’t do the work, they don’t learn. Then that is reflected in state testing.
I’ve cried more and been more frustrated than I have in a long time. Then I began reading the book, The Purpose Driven Life. As I came to Day 7: The Purpose of Everything, this verse was at the top. As I read through the chapter, I couldn’t help but think about my students.
We are all here for a purpose, God’s purpose. No matter how frustrated or upset I get, I must remember that God created them for His purpose. In the moment, this can be so hard, but there are ways to remember they are God’s workmanship.
1. Pray for your students.
This is something I have started todo each and every day. I pray before I come to school. I pray during our moment of silence, and sometimes I even pray throughout the day when things get hard.
2. Take a deep breath.
Sometimes when I’m so frustrated, I need to walk away from the situation. This helps me remind myself to give grace to my kiddos. Even on the hard and trying days, I give grace because Jesus gave me grace.
3. Know your students personally.
One thing I began last year was circle up time. We make a big circle and pass a bear around. When you have the bear, you share something you did the night before or over the weekend. This opens the lines of communication, and if I ever forget, they remind me. I’ve also started going to my students’ ball games. They love when I show up to support them.
All of these things help me remember they are created for God’s purpose and so am I. I am asking God to see others as He sees them. I am striving to live my life surrendered to Him.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
When I went into teaching in 2007, I was going to change the world. I was really going to make a difference. That first year, though, was awful. I had no clue what I was doing, and no idea really how to improve. Long story short, health issues with my little girl kept me home for the next several years.
When I went back into the classroom in 2011, I met a teacher who took me under her wing and I slowly started becoming the teacher I wanted to be. At year eleven and back at my original school, I’m still no where near perfect. I try. I try hard. And I fail, miserably on some days.
Yesterday, I received a phone call from a parent that in all honesty made me feel like a total failure. In that moment I wanted to curl up and cry and frankly just throw in the towel. But I didn’t. I began to reflect on my interactions with this child. I began to think of the things I was doing to push him during times I’m not even required to.
We all have a kid like that don’t we? Or even multiple. Sometimes it’s your whole classroom. You do all you can. Most of the times, however, you don’t get that phone call.
It was hateful, and she had already decided I was the enemy. If you’ve taught any amount of time, you’ve experienced one of those. We’ve all been there. And even when we know the words spewing from the mouth are untrue, how do we get past that?
First, I believe we need to pray. No matter what is going on, prayer will see you through. Prayer is when you get to talk with your Savior. I promise he will give you peace no matter what.
Secondly, you have to continue to love the child. No matter what they may have gone home and said or you think they’ve said, you have to love anyway. I Peter 4:8 says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” It’s amazing what happens when we love anyway.
Thirdly, we have to keep fighting the fight. Teaching school is hard, and lawmakers make it harder. Most people have no clue what it’s like to battle all of the things we do with such little payout. Students who could barely sit still at the beginning of the year are showing tremendous growth in behavior and social interactions, but they are measured by a single test score. However, they can’t thrive until those things are taken care of first. No one sees those things or wants to measure that growth.
So, we keep fighting. We take our own time to plan and pull. We spend nights with family grading papers and struggling to help those behind. We do so many things no one sees. We try and then we try harder. At the end of the day, we just have to keep fighting.
Keep your head up high. Say a prayer for peace when it gets to be too much. Love anyway and just keep fighting. You are amazing!
Ribbons and Lace 