Wednesday, January 28, 2009

If it was only that easy......

This card sits on my desk.....I'm actually going to put it in a frame I love it that much. Working with students who have High Functioning autism has it's challenges. Just today I was thinking how amazing it was that this is my 8th year of teaching........I still love it. The students never cease to amaze me daily. They are so smart and oh so funny. They have taught me just as much as I have taught them. People say......."you must have so much patience".......... today I didn't feel that way.........I have that feeling many days. Today was a day spent in meetings.......the paperwork side of things. Sitting, discussing, brainstorming....talking about problems that need a solution........of course those are the problems that never get solved in one meeting...and sometimes they just don't get solved at all.

Today was a day where way more of my energy, effort and attention went into meetings and talking to adults.....instead of to my students........where it really belongs.....where it is much needed. It's days like these I go home feeling defeated.......feeling like I didn't do my best....give it my all. It's a day where interactions with my students was limited.... only a phrase here and there........ a comment or a reprimand. Instead of encouragement, support and most importantly praise.

It is hard to juggle all the aspects to teaching. In a perfect world it would be me and my students with unlimited resources and we would give every student exactly what he/she needs to be their best. However we are working with limited budgets, problems that need solutions........we are all doing our best.....the best we can with the resources we have. Sometimes.......it just isn't enough. As a teacher at end of the day you go home feeling like the weight of the world has been on your shoulders......so much to do....so little time.

So i keep that card close by because......it makes me smile........and if I did have a cape and a nice tiara..........I really do think I could save the world!

2 comments:

Carol Dunton said...

Only another teacher can truly understand the frustrations and feelings that you have scribed here....

I totally understand.

Love you...
: )

azlori said...

And the stress of knowing you are also responsible for killing off a small rain forest with all the paper work you have to go through doesn't help either!
Hang in there!