School's Out For Summer

Another year has passed. Wow. So hard to believe. I now have a 5th grader and a 3rd grader. I will be teaching one of my children next year, just not the one that I expected.

I have been teaching 5th grade science & social studies for the past 3 years. I remember my interview at Whigham 3 years ago, and the question was asked of me, what would be your favorite and least favorite subjects to teach. As a second grade teacher who loved seeing the 'light bulb' go off when my students 'got it' in reading, I was excited about hopefully moving to Whigham School and taking over a new 2nd grade position that would be opening up. My answer was, "I love teaching reading, and my least favorite subjects would be science and social studies." Of course I elaborated, but you get the general idea.

Well I got the transfer, and was so happy and excited. Then I got the phone call from my new principal saying that they wouldn't be getting a new 2nd grade position after all, and she needed me to teach 5th grade...science and social studies. Of course, I said, "Sure, whatever you need me to do!" But inside, I wasn't so sure. Now, three years later, I have grown to love those subjects and their importance to our lives and our students' lives. Our children need to know our history. They need to know the origins of our great country, the struggles we have endured, the ugly, the pretty...all of it. They need to know the progress we have made, the triumphs and mistakes we have made as a country, and how we are continuing to work to correct those mistakes. And how the reason we can be proud to be Americans is not because we are simply from "America," but because we do learn from our mistakes, and how our great constitution was designed in such a way that it can be amended to reflect the needs and desires of the majority of our voting population and the people that we elect to represent us. I appreciate our local community leaders and veterans who were more than eager to bring our nation's great history alive for our young students.

These three years have flown by. What I thought was my 'least favorite' became my favorite. I have been so excited about teaching Nathan about the War Between the States, cowboys, WWs I and II, and the tragic events of 9/11 and America's response. I won't get to do that in the classroom. But I will teach Nathan, just as I have since the day he was born.

I will, however, have the opportunity to teach my second son, Braxton. He is an awesome kid. Not perfect by any means, but as I prayed about this, I realized that Nathan will do fine in science and social studies - his favorite subjects. And I feel that Braxton would most benefit from mama right now. And now, I have the opportunity to go back to my original love, teaching children to read. And although I'm sad that I won't be in the classroom teaching the son that I thought I would be teaching, I am so excited about teaching the son that I will be teaching. But honestly, we will all be teaching each other for many years to come - those boys teach me more than they realize.