In case you didn't know...

Teaching is hard. Yes, and as I type those words I keep thinking how I really should be typing lesson plans instead, but those will still be there in five minutes and these profound (ha ha) thoughts may not. I finished up my "time" in Resource and now am in third grade. Everyday in resource I would think "Just a little while longer and I will get a break in third grade." Ha! Was I wrong or what! Resource was difficult, as in your brain gets so overloaded with multitasking and walking on legal egg shells. I love resources and I could really tell if I was making a difference or not, if I was doing a good job, and if the children were learning. Enter the world of regular education. It is a whole new kind of multitasking and egg shells. Now I have to keep tight control of 24 little kiddos at the same time as teaching them, and thinking about what I will be doing in five minutes. And egg shells- mostly dealing, I mean, cooperating constructively with other teachers...and bulletin boards. The person who decided to put those up in school surely is burning in hell. Just one more way for Artistic people to be better than me.
So what makes teaching worth it? Kids say the darnedest things. Like my student who I swear is a shrunken down version of Reese Witherspoon. Today as we walked to class she told me, "Miss Webb, I know why you wear brown everyday, because your hair is brown." I look down at myself and see a brown sweater paired with brown pants. I realize she is very right and am suddenly angry with myself because I vowed to myself months ago I would wear less brown. So I turn back to her and tell her "Shhh. We are silent in the hall." Now that it is many hours later and I am in my PJ's and can't help but laugh at just how right she is.
And then there is one little boy in my class who is so thoughtful and such a hard worker. Things might take him a little longer but he works very hard and gets it done right. He reminds me a lot of my nephew Noah. As I walked the kids out to the door when school ended, I gave them high fives and some of the girls always give hugs. I turned the corner to walk back to the classroom and he came flying around. I put my hand out to give him a high five but he ignored it and gave me a big hug. I love those hugs!
So even when i doubt that I am doing a good job or feel like I am jipping the students from their real teacher, I remember this is a learning process for me to and they seem to like me anyway.
Now, if only I could get paid to do this...