on the eve of a new school year

Tomorrow begins a new school year. My 5th year of teaching! It's hard to believe I am 5 years into my career already. When I tell people that I'm entering my 5th year, they assume I know what to expect and can just whip out my old lesson plans and do it all over again. There is some truth to that, but even after being a second grade teacher for several years, I still have many emotions going into the first day of school.

I'm sad to say good-bye to the sweetness of summer.

I'm excited to get to know 15 new students and help them grow this year.

I'm eager to see how this group of 9 girls and 6 boys will interact together.

I'm anxious about all of the small details I need to remember on the first day.

I'm hopeful that the first day will go smoothly, even without the extra set of hands of a student teacher (what a blessing last year!).

I'm grateful for a small class size, an always positive co-teacher, and an amazing aide.

I'm nervous about our low enrollment for this school year, and what that could mean for the future of our school.

I'm not sure how I feel about getting back into routine. I typically enjoy and thrive in a routine, but I'm fearful that I will have a hard time sticking to it. I'm afraid of overcommitting my time and energy.

But aside from all of my mixed emotions, the one pressing most on my heart for this new school year is feeling chosen by God to be the teacher for this particular set of 15 children. Of course, I feel this way every year to some extent, but this year is different. Perhaps it is because I have a few children in my new class that come from heartbreaking family situations. I know these children are loved by their families, but they have been through so much grief in just 7 short years. I'm feeling the responsibility of making sure that all of my students, but especially those that have experienced brokenness, know that I love them and will be there to support them, no matter what life brings. I want to be a model of Christ's love for them.

The problem is that I'm not exactly sure how to do that. There are no curriculum manuals with step by step directions for growing in love. I can't do it on my own. Will you pray with me that God will give me the grace and patience I need to make a difference in the lives of my students this year? Pray that my words and actions are not my own, but God's. Pray that my relationship with God will be my first priority, and that evidence of this will overflow into my daily interactions with students. Pray that they will see Christ in me and want their lives to reflect His as well. 

Even if these children forget how to add 3 digit numbers, count coins, tell time, spell high frequency words, or write a paragraph, if my students grow in their love for God and others, I will be one happy teacher.

It all begins... TOMORROW!