You Make a Life By What You Give

GUESS WHAT? I survived my first week of teaching seven-year-olds! Even though I was warned that I'd probably cry, no tears were shed from me. In fact, I was all smiles. So were the kids. That's not to say that I haven't been stressed or
challenged, because believe me- teaching is far from easy! I am absolutely drained from this week. But the great thing about teaching is that even though it drains you, you get filled right back up by the love from your students. 

They give me the energy that I feel like I won't be able to find. They cheer me up when I feel like I may be on the verge of losing it. And most importantly, they are there every single day, eager for me to teach them something. Even over the course of just a few days, we've already become a family in Room 203. When I dread the sound of my 5 a.m. alarm, I think of 18 sweet faces of children I'm so lucky to know, and then I jump out of bed to begin my day.

Those of you who know me know that I've wanted to teach for as long as I can remember. And I guess I played my cards right (or just got extremely lucky) because I ended up in my dream grade, at my dream school, in my dream city. Since I was three years old, I played school and imagined what it would be like to have a classroom of my own. I never thought of it as a "job," but instead as something I genuinely enjoyed. My parents taught me to always do what I love--especially for my career. 

If you follow education news, you've seen the "bad reputation" that my great state of North Carolina has received lately. To put things simply--it is a TOUGH time to be entering the education profession in NC. Every direction I turn, I hear more negative news about how our children and teachers are being walked on. I've even had teachers tell me not to be a teacher and to "get out now." That's what makes me the saddest. But, I have promised myself that I would not let the discouraging news discourage me! I recently saw a tweet that said "As a teacher, I don't make money. I make a difference." I agree. 

I may never be "wealthy" in the sense that society defines wealthy. But I will always be wealthy in a very special way that only some people get to experience. I will have a wealthy life, full of creative, curious, and hilarious children who remind me every single day why I am doing what I do. They are the reason I work 13 hours a day without getting much sleep. They are the reason I spend my evenings visiting their homes to build stronger relationships with them and their families. They are the reason I am constantly learning of innovative ways to be the best teacher I can be. I may not ever make much money, but what I receive is worth so much more. As Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." I am so grateful to have the opportunity to give my children the ultimate form of wealth-- an education.