Skip to main content

The Prayer of a Teacher After the First Day of School.

I cried today. Lately, I haven't been much of a cryer. My mom will tell you that it takes a lot to make me cry. Today I cried. I cried because today was the first day of school. I am exhausted. My feet hurt, my face is greasy, and I'm not sure how I smell. I smiled as 22 brand new students walked into classroom 120. I felt the high energy of the kids who wished summer was at least another month longer. I tried to explain the rules and procedures but forgot how difficult that can be. This year will prove to be the biggest challenge in my teaching career. I miss my kids from last year, still. I hope the impact they've left on me will never change. Today, I write down a prayer for myself and for all my teachers out there. I pray that I will make a difference. I pray that tomorrow when the routines begin that I will give direction with clarity. I pray that I will find something to love about each one of my students. I pray I don't forget the good kids while I'm focusing on the challenging. I pray I can be inspired to teach my kids academics as well as life skills. I pray they feel loved. I pray I will have patience. I pray I will be the right dose of firm, yet silly. I pray that I will plan well enough to push each child to their highest potential. I pray that I can be the best I can be. I pray for all of my students. I pray for myself. 


Today I felt defeated. I wondered if I had done enough to make the first day a good one. Tomorrow I will do better. Tomorrow I will give it all I've got, again. I will keep on trying until I've done my part in my prayer. I am blessed to see my students as Children of God. I know that each child is loved and each child has divine purposes. I know that teaching is a career of the heart. 

Comments

  1. Mama RobertsOctober 26, 2016 at 9:55 PM

    Shelby, I always knew my children were lucky to have you as their teacher but I feel even more so now after reading this post. Thank you for seeing them with spiritual eyes and for sharing your talent for teaching and having fun. You are a blessing to each one of them.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

102 Days.

Well Folks, it's been exactly 102 days since my car left home and headed out west. Each day that I'm away from home I discover more about myself, my relationships, and my Heavenly Father. It's hard to place a time or a date to your life changing especially when it happens over a period of time and through many hard lessons. Now more than ever I realize the importance of relying on my Heavenly Father in all times, in all things, and in all places. I have such a testimony of the love my Savior gives me. He is my constant companion and he is my everything. At times things can get dark and things can get lonely. During these moments of trial we too often forget our divine worth. We were all sent here with a unique and special plan. We were destined for greatness and we were destined to allow ourselves to achieve that divine potential. I have learned to never give up on my Savior, because when I don't give up on him I don't give up on myself. These past 102 days have...
Post a Comment
Read more

Coming to an end.

Considering my last post was in October, this morning I woke up and finally wanted to let the fingers type and do the talking. Since October my life has changed and I have grown so much. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and I also always knew that I have both of my parents running through my blood. What this means for me is that I have this incredible drive to push myself to limits that haven't been set. My beautiful mother gave me passion for education. She constantly sets the example of the most excellent educator and one day I hope to be as successful as she is and was in the classroom. My mother gave me the realistic expectations that come with teaching, such as not always getting my way or having things work out in the way I would like them to. Bless her soul for being my constant supporter. My father gave me the drive to work hard and to never give up. He works construction and there hasn't been one thing that he hasn't finished once he set his mind to it. He...
Post a Comment
Read more

Knowing thy IMPACT

One day I'll get around to sharing the story about how I applied for and got my new job. I have to say that it most certainly is 100% credited to my Heavenly Father and his plan for my life. Often we don't see the things we need in life until things are put into our path that lead us in a different direction. For the purpose of this post I wanted to share some thoughts being on the outside of the beginning of a new school year. This is mostly for my teacher friends and those who start teaching this year so if you get bored, please do yourself a favor and stop reading. Being a teacher is a tough gig. Daily we make thousands of split-second decisions and impact people in ways we will never fully know the extent of. John Hattie once said, "know thy impact." Each day you'll strive to be better than the day before. You'll hope and pray that your babies (students) will learn something more than just "things." We'll hope and pray that they learn how t...
Post a Comment
Read more