I have caught myself daydreaming on several occasions...Sometimes I sit in my classroom at the end of the day and I stare at the students' tables. I think about what kind of life each student is going home to, and I have cried on more than one occasion for the situations over which I have no control.
Even more than family situations, though, I think about what the future holds for each of my students. I wonder what they will look like 10 years from now. I wonder what college they will attend (if any). I wonder what career they will choose and where it will take them. I wonder how they will handle the tough decisions that they will encounter during their lifetime. I wonder if they will find themselves telling their own children "I remember when I was in kindergarten..." It is hard for me to think about my students without wondering. I think that this wondering is a good indication of the type of devotion and compassion that teachers have for the students that walk through their doors.
The students are not just part of my "job", but rather they become an integral piece of my life. I have an overwhelming concern for their livelihood and well-being. The way I see it, I am the only kindergarten teacher that these students will have. I play a special part in their lives, so why shouldn't they play an important role in mine?
Beautifully said.
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful way with words.
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