Some Times You Plant, Sometimes You Water, And Sometimes You Harvest

Why did you get into teaching, or why do you want to get into teaching?  I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure it is not because you wanted to get rich.  The reason most people want to become teachers is because you want to make difference in the lives of your students.  

The hard part is that because we are putting out so many fires, and so much of our energy is invested into our most difficult students, we sometimes don't know if we really are making a difference.  The answer is yes you are.  

I know this because I see it everyday with our students and our wonderful teachers.  We and yes you are part of we, are making a difference.  The challenge is that we may never know the positive impact we had on our students lives because our students are at different seasons in their lives.  

Maybe a student is at a season in their lives where they are not ready to grow and you invest so much time energy into them for very little return.  Try not to get discouraged.  Your role for that child may be just to plant the seeds of greatness.  

Perhaps your student is finally turning things around and you both see the light at the end of the tunnel.  The reality that another teacher probably planted the seed and you role is to water that seed and see some growth. 

Or maybe you have the fortune to be at the end of process and you get to see how the child blossom and you get to enjoy the harvest of your hard work as well as the previous teachers before.  

How does that saying go, "It takes a village to raise the child".

We are that village and we all have an important role to play.  

So no matter what you are going through, take heart, fight the good fight, and know that your students are better because of you.