Teachers have been in the news a lot lately. Some of the press is good and some is bad. Sadly I feel like teachers get a bad rap. The profession seems to carry less respect that it used to – and much less than teachers truly deserve. It makes me sad. Ever since I was a little girl playing school in my room for hours on end – with stuffed animal students and a make shift chalkboard – I dreamed of having a classroom of my own. Now that I am a teacher I can honestly say it is my dream job. I feel so blessed to get to do what I do every single day. Am I tired? Yes. Am I frustrated at times? Yes. Do I feel overworked and under appreciated? At times, yes! But at the end of the day, I know that I carry the responsibility and privilege of making a difference in the lives of children!
Teaching is not just what I do….Teaching is who I am. It is woven into the fabric of my very being. Through the course of my day I do so much more than “teach.” I get to listen to stories of fainting goats and trips to Disney. I get to dry tears shed from missing a dog. I get to love on kids who have worries that kids should not have. I get to share in the excitement of finally “getting it.” This is such an honor and such a blessing in my life. And while not every moment of every day is sunshine and rainbows, and while there is a whole lot of other “stuff” that makes this profession not so glamorous at times, it is all worth every single bit of energy spent. I get to be a teacher….it is who I am!
Julie Anne Taylor 