What is it like to be a first year teacher? I'm glad you asked! It's a lot like learning to drive. Now, some of you out there may have been born to drive like Ricky Bobby, but for me, driving was not something that I ever wanted to learn. The fact that I didn't want to learn it may have had something to do with the fact that I wasn't very good at it, or maybe it was the other way around. At any rate, when I think back to learning how to drive, I think of white knuckles, sweating, and a whole lot of frustration and fear on my part and on the part of my driving instructor (AKA my dad). That's what first year teaching is like. A whole lotta white knuckle, hanging on for dear life, abrupt stopping, panicked yelling, "No, not so fast!" excitement. With all that being said, remember how awesome it felt that first time you took the car out on the road by yourself and, yanno, didn't die? Remember how incredible that was? Well, that's part of first year teaching as well. Sometimes you take her out, don't get a scratch on her, and nail that parallel parking job (hopefully in front of a crowd). What a feeling!
In the classroom, October was a month of starts and stops. Here comes donor day! My plans come crashing to a halt for a week. Alright, that's in our rear view mirror, so now let's get back to work! Oops! Here comes homecoming week. Full stop. Ok, now let's do this thing! Nope, here comes fall break, so it's a half week. Starts. Stops. Schedules and plans wrecked. Through it all, God has been faithful to strengthen me, sustain me, and to give me little opportunities to share with kids. Last week, we were discussing the role of works in our salvation in the 11th grade. One student (who has recently had some behavior issues) kept insisting that he was right with God because of the good stuff that he had started doing. He is one of our star football players, and his dad is a LOUD fan. I asked this kid if he heard his dad cheering for him during the games. He said that he did. I asked him, "If it was third and three, and you knew that you were getting the ball, why would you want to get that first down? Would it be to make your dad love you or to make sure that your dad kept on loving you? Or would it be because you KNOW that your dad loves you and you love the sound of him going crazy over you?" He smiled and said that it was the second one. I told him that that was how God wanted him to view his performance for Him as well. His face lit up, and he told me afterwards that that made sense to him. The great thing is, while I'm teaching him, God is teaching me. Why was it a big deal that I was able to explain this stuff to this kid? Is it because I want his validation, or your validation, or because I want to make God love me? No! It's because he already DOES love me, and I love the sound of him saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant." This job, you guys. It's just the best (white knuckles and all).
Praise for: great sleep (can't stress how important this one is!), great camaraderie with the staff (ditto), and deepening relationships with the students.
Pray for: the grace to completely kill my sarcasm in my class, compassion for my kids, and for the Lord to move in the lives of these three kids: Khari Pugh, Antwuon Jones, and Jokk Hall.
Love you guys!
