Retirement – All the Snow Days Without the Snow
I never thought when I began teaching fourth grade that I would still be at it 42 years later. I thought, at most, I would teach 10 years and go on to something else. Maybe in art, computers, psychology, or something much more glamorous than teaching. After all, when you tell people you are a teacher, you get the look that says, “Sorry for you, too bad you couldn’t do something better.” I have often felt there was something ‘better’ out there, but really, I enjoyed teaching those nine and ten year-olds quite a bit. And I was able to incorporate many of my other career ideas within my interactions with students. We could be entertaining and artistic. We sang songs, watched videos whenever a new topic came up, and, of course, every day held something new. It was always so satisfying to have a child read a book on their own, or succeed on a test, or improve their work ethic. And we worked. Hard. I always had high expectations for everyone, at just the right (hopefully) level for each student. I was, I heard, rather strict. We laughed, joked, but when it came time to work, it was time to work. I was always amazed how much information we had learned by the end of the year. We discussed relevant current topics which helped them realize there were different cultures beyond their family. We learned about how to treat others, follow the Commandments, and, in general, be the best person they can be. I taught them that grades do not determine their success, but hard work does. After all these years, I had an idea of the psyche of the fourth grade mentality. I could tell who was trying their best and who was up playing video games most of the night. Who needed a break or a snack, or who was lying. I usually had an idea about how to approach many discipline issues, and, generally, knew when to talk it out and when to take action.
Things change. Students are so worldly now. I am sad to see that so many are on their phones at night texting. Or playing M rated video games. Or watching R rated movies. Yes, I loved using computers and technology in the classroom. Yet I feel children these days are missing out on the exploring, imagination, and problem solving of by gone days. And boredom. Boredom can lead children to create and imagine. It can be self-reflective and lead to wonderful ideas. And, I will say, sometimes school is BORING! But I was bored easily as well, and tried to throw a fun activity whenever the drudgery was too much.
So, after 42 years, I am calling it quits. Time to let someone new take over. Teaching requires a huge amount of multi-tasking, and I needed WAY too many Post-It notes to keep things organized. I have met so many students and their parents (Mrs. Watkins, you taught my mom!), and while the names no longer stick in my brain, I still remember so many of the faces, stories, and successes along the way. I will let someone younger, with a dream to help children, take over the leadership.
