My Farewell to Teaching

What happens when one of the titles that you has identified you for the last six years ends today? That's the position I find myself in today. Today I will turn the lights out in room 306 one final time. Today is my last day as a kindergarten teacher. I have to say goodbye to the girls I have worked with for six years and who aren't just my colleagues but my friends. I have to take of my teacher hat and put back on my student hat. But, when I think about it I'm not sure I ever have really taken off my student hat.

It's true that I am suppose to be the teacher, but the truth of the matter is in their childlike wisdom I have learned a tremendous amount from them. I have learned that age diminishes to your ability to laugh at the little things. I have always been amazed at how funny the little things are to them, like me dropping a marker or not being able to turn a page in the book we are reading. I've learned that the only person upset about the fact that my science lesson was a flop is me; the kids still had a blast. I've learned that beauty is always in the eyes of the beholder. {:It was drug prevention week and the theme for the day was "Drugs and Me Don't Match." We wore mismatched clothes. I had on a silk dress, sweatpants, and cowboy boots, and I had a student tell me how beautiful I was that day.:} They taught me that there is never a bad time to encourage someone. Kids are the most honest but there also the first to tell you how pretty you look or how they love the way you do something. They have challenged me with their generosity. Kids are always willing and desiring to be the one that helps a friend out with a new crayon, ice cream money, or just to tie their friends shoe. They've taught me the compassion the human heart is capable of. I have had sick children, disabled children, homeless children and it never failed to maze me their intuitive ability to love these peers a little more, to question their situation but never their character. They only questioned because their immediate desire was to help. They have taught me that there are no secrets if you plan on telling a five year old. {:Those poor parents if they only knew the store I heard about them. I don't even want to know what they may have said about me. Out of the mouths of babes:}

So as this chapter comes to an end, I can't help but to smile through the tears. Through all of the stress, nightmare parents, hours of lesson plans I realize that I owe a lot of life lessons and character building to these precious, sweet five year olds I have had the blessing of teaching in the last six years. After today I may not carry the title of "teacher" anymore but I will forever carry the impression their tiny hands have made on my heart.

Thanks for trusting me with such precious little ones God, and thanks for allowing me to learn so much from them.