‘It’s sitting one on one with a child. Making sure they know you care, they’re heard, and they matter.’: Teacher talks reality of teaching, ‘if you think you know, think again’

“This. Now, more than ever.

If you think you know teaching, think again.

This is teaching. Re-imagined.

It’s parenting and coaching and counseling and policing and guiding and role-modeling and inspiring.

It’s worrying and hoping and praying and believing and struggling and trying and loving.

It being part-time technology expert, part-time saint, part-time Santa Claus, part-time caregiver, part-time entertainer, part-time nurse, part-time chaperone, part-time superhero, part-time custodian.

It’s high stakes testing, but low accountability for those who sit in judgement of us giving and taking the tests. It’s high stakes testing with a ‘gotcha’ mentality. Let’s see if we can trick the students and punish the teachers.

It’s being questioned and blamed and confronted and evaluated for much beyond our control, and yet, showing up day after day to accept the responsibility.

It’s competing against screens and gaming devices and cellular devices and instant gratification and social media and pop culture.

It’s trying to be heard by an earbud generation.

It’s showing up early and leaving late. Phone calls home and emails at all hours. Weekends in your classrooms. Summers taking classes.

It’s 24/7, and don’t for a minute believe it isn’t, because it never leaves you. You wear it.

It’s sitting one on one with a child. Making sure they know you care. Making sure they know they are heard. Making sure they know they matter.

It’s sitting one on one with a child. But knowing there are 29 more who need you just as much. And feeling like you are failing them.

It’s shaping the traveler for an uncertain future. It’s believing in the future of an uncertain traveler.

It’s giving so much it leaves you empty. It’s finding a way to refill your tank, because they will need you again tomorrow.

It’s simply taking them by the hand and hoping you have instilled enough trust and lessons and love in them, that one day, they will let you go.

If you think you know teaching, think again.

This is teaching.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Anthony Garcia of G Force. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

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