There are things as a teacher that change you. They change teacher you and they change you you. Lets be honest here people, all teachers have their "teacher" self and then they have their real self. But anyways. Sometimes its a situation and sometimes its a child. This year, what changed me was a child. A very special, difficult, frustrating, creative and smart child. He honestly changed me as a teacher. He will never know that. He will never fully understand what he did for me.
I am writing about him because he transferred to another school this past Friday and it ripped my heart out. If I could have pulled a Miss Honey with this little man I would have.
This little dude forced me to become more patient, which I needed to work on anyways.....I know, you're all shocked! He forced me to realize that actually getting to know your students and their lives really does make a difference. I mean I already knew that but like this really showed me how important it is.
He has had to go through more in his short little life than I may ever have to go through. Thats not fair. He quickly became a favorite of the school. Was he an angel? NO! He was quite the opposite actually. He was a holy terror. BUT he needed love. He craved love. He got love and he changed. I changed.
I remember when he walked into my line the first day of school. He walked up BOUNCING with energy. In my head I was thinking "oh crap oh crap oh crap, this kid is going to run me ragged" and I was definitely right, my first impressions are spot on, basically always. What I wasn't prepared for was the way he would weasel his way into my heart and stay.
I hope that I was comfort for him. Stability for him. He didn't have those things in his life. He deserves those things. All children deserve that.
I will miss him terribly. I hope to keep tabs on him the rest of the year.....mayyyyyybe longer. I just can't shake this kid. If anything, I will always have the grey hairs he has caused me to get.....He has taken up space in my heart and I am forever grateful to have gotten to teach him.
