Last Thursday night, there was an open house at my school and it has gone down as the best open house I have every been a part of. Mack Strong, a retired Seahawks player and Todd Green, my friend and coworker, were the two main speakers and they were so inspiring and moving. Mack told three different reasons as to why he and his wife have their boys at ECS (parent involvement, dreams are realized and greatness is obtainable) and Todd talked about how ECS really is the best place to be for advancing the Kingdom. I must admit that my eyes were misty as these two shared and I found myself proud to be in such a great place with such great people. After their speeches, the parents walked around to each classroom. I had previous, present and future parents come and visit me in my classroom. So many of them were so encouraging telling me that they are so glad I am at ECS and I have made such an impact on their child's life. This night was so encouraging and reaffirmed to me why I am here and made me so much more thankful for my job and where I work....really the best place there is!
For those of you who know my past teaching experiences, you know that I have been burned and my jobs haven't been the best. It is so great to be at a place where I can make a difference and also be encouraged and appreciated. I know that God has called me to be a teacher and it is fun to see that this year I am finally becoming comfortable in this role and know what I am doing. I have a lot of room for growth but I have confidence and know that I am doing the right thing. Teaching is hard, it has its days and there are many times when I question if this is for me but I have learned that this is normal. Teaching is so rewarding and I just wouldn't want to be anywhere else! Not only do I love my job, but I love my place of employment. Here are a few reasons as to why I am so thankful:
1. I have a wonderful, supportive boss who appreciates my sense of humor.
2. There really is a sense of family among the staff and some of the staff are my closest friends.
3. For the most part, the parents are so supportive and trust me enough let me do my job.
4. I am able to talk about God to my students.
5. I wake up in the mornings excited for the day and I hate missing a day of work.
6. I look forward to having lunch with my coworkers (most of the time ;)).
7. My teaching style is welcome and appreciated.
8. I have a small enough class that I can have a unique and special relationship with each student.
9. I don't feel judged or condemned.
10. It is evident that God is a huge part of this school.
I am so thankful to be so happy and love my job so much. I have developed friendships with staff and parents at this school that I know will last a long time and that is so rewarding and worth it all. God is good!
