The first week of school

Well the first week of school is just about behind me and it has been an exhausting one. This new school year brings with it a new set of challenges... and a chance to start over once again. I love being a teacher it's the one job I know of where you get the chance to start over and try new things or reexperience things that you have done before. It's never the same. When you have a classroom full of 4 1/2 to 5 year olds to work with life is never boring. This school year promises to be an interesting one and hopefully one where I will continue to grow as a teacher. I have 1 new and 1 partially new staff members under my direction this year. I love new teachers they have such enthuasiasm that I can't help but get reenergized just by being around them.

This past week I welcomed 14 new children into my classroom. Some were excited to be there, others were scared because they didn't quite know what to expect from this new teacher and the other kids in the classroom. I watched their faces as they came in. It is always interesting to see how they react to being in a new classroom. For many of them walking into my classroom was nothing new they've been doing it off and on for the past several years.... Two of my new students are siblings of children I have had in the past so I have literally watched them grow from being babies to toddlers and now they get to be just like their big brothers and sisters and get to not only come into Miss Teale's class but they get to stay! I love teaching in a small private school... while the pay isn't as good as what I would make at a public school the small feeling of community in the middle of the big city feeds my soul. I love the fact that I am able to build relationships with parents who are actively involved in their children's education. I love being a part of this time in the lives of the children placed in my care. They are so full of life and so wonderfully eager to learn. I hope they never lose that eagerness to learn something new! And I hope I never lose my appreciation for their love of life or forget the importance of the job I have been given to do.