Today, as I do every teaching day, I worked with my two most struggling students in a small reading group. These kids came to me almost two years below grade level in reading. They read word by word, sounding out almost every word and then trying to blend it all back together. All this hard work and then struggling to make sense of what it all meant. It's been a long road, lots of frustration and hard work. Not easy for them, not easy for me.
Today, one of the students read aloud so well to me. With such fluency and expression. What did I do? I cried, tears welled up in my eyes and threatened to spill down my face. Today, for those few moments, he did not sound like a struggling reader. He read beautifully and with ease. And those moments reminded me why I am a teacher. I teach for children like this boy who need someone to believe in them. He saw my tears when he looked up from his reading. I think for a moment he was worried until I praised him and explained to him how proud I was of him and his hard work.
Today, God gave me a reminder of why I chose to become a teacher. And for that I am grateful. Because just the other day I had shared with special friends that I wasn't liking my job so much these days. And God heard it too. And because I believe in His caring and love for me, and my students, I know he sent it just in time to inspire and encourage me to do this special work.
3 comments:
You are amazing and an inspiration. This was a wonderful post to wake up to. Thank you, Maria - for being you. {{{Maria}}}
I have tears in my eyes just reading this post. As a parent of a reader that has struggled over the years a post like this makes me so thankful for wonderful teachers like you. Thank you for sharing it.
What a wonderful post Maria! We need more teachers like you who care. This was great!
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