Shazam: Hope, Enthusiasm, & Sanctuary

What are the best aspects of being a teacher?

Kids:  The reason I look forward to coming to work every day is the interaction with young people.  Whether working toward a learning target in class, visiting in the hallway between classes, or chaperoning a school dance, my students are the best reason to teach.  They are funny and interesting and sometimes pretty challenging to work with, but when they make a breakthrough and buy in to the class culture and goals, there is no more rewarding experience.  Yesterday before school, a student hollered, "Hi, Mrs. Paulsen!" from down the hallway as I was making a trip from the office back to my room. I waved back and, as I turned the corner I heard him say to his pal conspiratorially, "I'm her favorite student."  I had to laugh because the trick is in communicating that all of them are my favorite students. I hope they all feel this way. Every. Single. One.  

Colleagues:  I am so lucky to work with an amazing group of adults in my building, in my district, in my state. My PLN is full of the most supportive people on the planet.  I never feel like I have to handle a problem in isolation.  I can pop in to a classroom, send an email, hop on social media and SHAZAM, I have multiple possibilities to ponder.  Teaching is physically and emotionally exhausting.  But my colleagues take good care of me: They remind me to broaden my vision toward the forest when I get lost focusing on the trees.  While my students inevitably move on toward the next phase, my colleagues remain.  This journey would be so much harder if I had to do it alone.

Content:  I love to read and write and speak and listen.  The daily work of my classroom is one of joy.  No matter what, every day I get to engage in the activities I love most, with a mostly enthusiastic learning community.  Enthusiasm is infectious, so when I bring it with me to work, it spreads quickly among the masses.  When students wander in looking for a good book , or ask if we can write "This I Believe" speeches again this year, or wave their hands to volunteer something they noticed in their reading, I think it's amazing someone pays me to do this work.  (These are the moments I hold on to when I'm disheartened and feeling like I'm not getting paid near enough...)

Environment:  A student once paid me a very high compliment when she said my room was like a sanctuary from the rest of her day.  I know she meant mentally as well as physically, but seriously, look at this place.  Who wouldn't want to hang out here for an hour?  I love my classroom, and I work hard to make it an inviting place to work and learn. Together.

TeachThought November Blogging Challenge