Grateful in the Classroom
Reflections of a Thankful Teacher

I am a thankful teacher and I am a blessed woman. I am so incredibly thankful for the many blessings in my life. I have a beautiful, healthy family and a successful teaching career located in the school district that I attended and graduated from! I truly believe God blessed me with a gift to positively interact with children and gave me the passion to make a meaningful difference in their lives. Today, I want to share why I am thankful to be a teacher...

I am thankful to be a teacher...

...for the relationships that I have built with families in my community. 

See, when you are a teacher, you have a unique opportunity to be a blessing in countless lives ... if you choose to. What you do for someone’s child or loved one makes an impact. Do you remember the teacher that went above and beyond for you? Did you deserve it, or did that teacher go the extra mile because he/she chose to? Make the choice for that student who has the odds stacked against them. 

Teachers have the power to help families who may be experiencing hardships. Teachers can make life-altering transitions easier for students. "How?" you may ask. By giving GRACE, being understanding, and providing information and resources that may be helpful to the situation. I have found that building positive relationships with my students is one of the most important areas of teaching. My students didn’t ask for their circumstances; whatever they are going through, it's not their fault or their burden to carry. But it is my job to be understanding of their circumstances and to be as considerate and nurturing as possible so my students can THRIVE. Let me tell you, my greatest accomplishment as a teacher is to look in a student’s eyes after they have accomplished something big and see the light in their eyes...it is powerful! 

I am a thankful teacher.

Challenge

If you have never had the experience of seeing that light in your students' eyes before, make it happen. For the student who is angry, ask him why and try to get to know him/her. You may have a broken heart after you hear their story, but it will renew your purpose for teaching. Commit to the mission of making this school year, THEIR school year to THRIVE!

I am thankful to be a teacher...

...so I can spend more time with my family during the holidays and summertime. 

This time is cherished and deeply appreciated! Honestly, these are the times I count down to during each school year...can I get an amen?!  Every teacher on the planet looks forward to the next break. Teachers need this so they can recharge their batteries. Being a teacher is exhausting on many levels.  Unfortunately, many teachers also have to use their breaks to earn extra money. If you are a thankful teacher looking for a teacher side hustle, check out this blog post.

I am a thankful teacher.

I am thankful to be a teacher...

...for the opportunity to make an impact and leave this world better than I found it. 

You see, every day I wake up to the challenge to be a positive light in someone’s life. This challenge is often what makes teaching difficult, both mentally and emotionally. These little lives often experience living conditions I have never experienced. It is heart-wrenching. So often, successes in the classroom have nothing to do with academics, but have everything to do with providing a safe place for children to patch and mend their broken hearts.

I am thankful to be a teacher...

...because I love to prove you CAN have fun while LEARNING! 

I enjoy changing my students' mindsets in a positive way so that my students want to come to school and look forward to engaging in the activities I have planned for our classroom.  As a teacher, you have the power to make or break a student in ONE school year. If you have ever had the unpleasant experience of having to undo the damage from another teacher, you know how difficult this is! Don’t be the teacher that fills difficult students with negativity! Pick your battles. Don't create more damage for another teacher to have to work to undo. That is a heavy burden and will hopefully motivate you to be the teacher that they need, the teacher that students talk about for years to come. Play music, tells jokes, laugh, and let your students know you enjoy teaching them and are human too.  They will appreciate it more than you know!

I am a thankful teacher.

Thankful Teacher

Teaching has helped me grow as a person. When my children started school, it changed the way I ran my household and my classroom. I was much more understanding that life can get crazy, and sometimes papers get overlooked and missed being signed.  Grace is my new best friend!

I am a thankful teacher.

I am thankful to be a teacher...

...for the memories I will always cherish. 

The good, the bad, and the ugly with each school year contribute to making me a stronger, more effective teacher.  Each year, with each new classroom full of children, I learn so many new things. These lessons are often difficult and heartbreaking. Many of the humbling lessons have included how much our world has changed and how much darkness my sweet students are living through or have experienced. One of the greatest joys as a teacher is to have students you taught come back to express to you the impact you made in their life. These moments make the hard days of teaching worth it!      

I am a thankful teacher.

Remember this

Build each other up and when you see another teacher struggling, help them!  Pick your battles with your teacher friends and your students!

Teachers are leaving the teaching profession at an alarming rate. The teacher shortage is high across the United States. I feel this is due to a lack of resources and the burden of state requirements. Each person who leaves the teaching profession has their own (I'm sure justifiable) reasons. I can't do much about that, but I can tell you I am a thankful teacher! 

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