I don't say this to complain. I say this because with every goal, dream, and desire we have comes dedication, strong will, and sacrifice. These things come from passion, and remembering why we have that dream in the first place.
I am only a handful of months away from graduating and becoming a teacher. While that thought is a little scary and overwhelming, I am overcome with emotion because I know that all the late nights, tears, and frustration will be worth making a difference in the lives of students. It's not easy and I get discouraged more often than I care to admit. But teaching is what I love doing. It's what God has called me to do.
I want to tell you a story about a student I had in my classroom in Philadelphia. This boy, let's call him Michael, would come into class crying every day. He would walk into the room, sit at his desk for a moment, unpack his backpack, then return to his seat with his books in front of him. He never said a word. He just cried. For weeks, it was the same routine. My heart broke for him almost immediately. All I wanted to do was help him, to figure out what was going on and to make it better. Being a teacher is more than just teaching the curriculum and giving assessments. Being a teacher means you are filled with compassion, empathy, patience, and grace.
It took lots and lots of patience with Michael. Every morning I would greet him with a smile, help him with his things, and sit next to him during morning reading. I would talk to him, offering him encouragement and an ear to hear what was wrong. He hardly spoke. It was mainly head nods and more tears. After the first couple weeks, I noticed he started to follow along with the class and pay attention to the head teacher's instructions. He would complete his work in class, still clearly upset with the occasional outbursts of tears. But then he started raising his hand. I remember that moment, the first time I saw him participate in class. He would answer questions and write on the board. My heart leaped because I knew that a bigger breakthrough was coming.
It only took a few more weeks until the day came when he didn't cry at all during class. This may not seem like a big deal to some people. Maybe they're thinking, Finally it's quiet in here and I can focus. He was so disruptive. I'll be honest, I didn't notice at first. I saw a student who was eating breakfast and reading his books in the beginning of the day. That was our routine. I think that I didn't notice at first because I saw a student working towards being successful. I saw a student who wanted to learn. I believed in him from day one, and when I saw him working it was like that's how it had always been. I saw the student I knew was there all along.
Those are the greatest joys of teaching; the little gains. Knowing you helped a student take one more step forward when they never thought they could. I still don't know what was going on at home or in his life that made him so upset during the day. But I know that being patient and showing him grace showed him the love of Jesus, whether he knew it or not.
It's these seemingly small victories that make it all worth it. It's seeing the breakthroughs, the success, and the joy in a child's eyes while they're learning that reminds me why I do what I do.
"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him." - Psalms 127:3
Children are a gift. I am honored that God has called me to share his love with them and to teach them about His son. I am learning more every day that teaching children about Jesus goes beyond a Sunday morning. It's every day, in every moment, with everything you do.
Every action, every word, and every expression has the potential to show Jesus to a child whether you mention his name or not.
Let's make them count.
Much love + blessings,
Becky
