Full
acceptance hit this week. I didn’t cry (very much) and I didn’t get sad; rather, I
just reached the point of acceptance. Acceptance that I am not returning to
school this year, and neither are my kids. Acceptance that we will be social
distancing for a long time. Acceptance that this is our new normal, and our
previous normal will never return. I have come to realize that acceptance is a good thing.
Acceptance
brought peace and calm. It also gave me time to reflect, analyze, and think about
changes I want to bring about in my life as a mom, teacher, and friend. I was
able to go back and look through photos of my year in my classroom, and seeing
my little people brought some BIG smiles; we had such a fun year!
Acceptance
also forced me to realize that there is no better time than now to pursue my
goals. I want to be the best teacher I can, and in order to be that, I need to
know more. When you know better, you do better. I enjoy school and learning,
and I try to take advantage of attending teacher conferences and workshops to stay
up to date on the current trends in education. So, I decided now is the time to
go back to school and work on my Master’s in Education in Curriculum and
Instruction in Special Education.
Basically
this degree with enhance my knowledge of teaching practices and instructional
methods for students with special needs. While I do not plan to teach in a
special ed classroom, having this knowledge benefits ALL students because as
studies show, there are MANY unidentified students with special needs in
regular, general education classrooms. I have witnessed this in my own
classroom, and I honestly feel if I didn’t have a background in Special Ed, my
students would be labeled as behavior problems and underlying issues would have
gone undiagnosed. Helping these students in particular is my passion, and I
want to continue to do so as effectively as possible. Can you tell I am
excited!?
Acceptance brought joy this week, and because the prevailing sadness was gone, I was much more mentally present with my family this week. My baby,
Tobias, celebrated his 3rd birthday. We celebrated him with a
Chick-Fil-A picnic at the park with all of us, including Tanner and my mom,
before coming home to have cake. Also, one of his teachers stopped by with a gift and to wish him a happy birthday. He was THRILLED to see her! Tobias is OBSESSED with lawn equipment like
Tanner. He takes sticks to use as a weed-eater and an open dump truck to
pretend to mow the grass. We decided to give him those items so he doesn’t have
to pretend. He was ECSTATIC!!!! Thomas had him load his equipment onto Tanner’s
trailer and he drove Tobias around the block to his “work site.” I wish I had a
picture of the smile on that boy’s face- he was proud as punch!
I also enjoyed some time
reading outdoors, and that ALWAYS brightens my mood. I am reading “Just Mercy”
by Bryan Stevenson, a book about the (in)justice system in regards to
minorities living in the South. Historically, black children face more
difficulties in school because of lower socio-economic status, educational
opportunities, single-parent homes, and racial bias by educators. Poor school
performance leads to higher numbers of drop-outs, which leads to lack of
good-paying jobs and higher crime. Stevenson focuses on the injustice people of
color face within the justice system, but truly it starts at the foundation:
education.
It is
really heart-wrenching and just makes me all the more determined to better the
educational system starting at the base, which is the preschool/early learning
years. If I can share the love of learning and help provide equal learning opportunities
in my classroom, I can help change the trajectory of some of these kids. My
heart has always been bent towards those who are considered the outcasts of
society, and it is probably because I have felt like an outcast my entire life.
This has become my life's mission, and it excites me to use my gifts as a teacher
to make a difference in others’ lives.
On a
different note, this week we found out Thomas will still have a graduation
ceremony. I can’t believe he graduates in less than 3 weeks! While it will be
nothing close to a traditional ceremony, I am so thankful he will be able to
celebrate this life achievement. We have been waiting for this moment his whole
life! Most of the “Senior” milestones have been canceled so the fact this is
still taking place will make it all the more special.
Surprisingly,
I am looking forward to SDW8. It is one week closer to the end of the school
year, but it also means that we have fell into a good routine with schooling at
home and juggling the demands of family responsibilities. God has been gracious
and loving towards us in so many ways, and reaching this point is proof! The
best life lessons are learned in hardship and the way we respond. It isn’t easy, but it is so worth it to see from where and how far we have come.
Have a great week!
Comments