Saying GoodBye

The sayings that people have about the teaching profession are so cliché. As I close out this school year and this huge chapter of my life, I can't help seeing how true these sayings have been for me. Teaching has been an interesting experience in that I have never felt good enough. I've always been one who pressures himself to be the best and to keep improving. As a result, I tend to overlook the work that I have done. It isn't until the end of the year thank yous roll in or the visits from old students that I fully understand my impact. I could care less if all of my students become math geniuses even though I do get discourage when all of my students are not performing up to standard. I start each school year with a mission of transforming kids into upstanding adults. I want my students to be independent, knowledgeable, respectful, honest, fair, real, tough, driven, hardworking, open minded, confident individuals. Basically, I want my students to develop the character traits that took me 25 years to develop early. In essence, I do try to help raise the kids that step into my classroom. I see them at their true selves more than their parents do. It is my aim to help them learn to navigate life for themselves but in a way that makes logical sense and yields promising positive results. Any teacher can yell and write kids up (mind you I do my fair share) however my students know their reprimands come from and why. My punishments are always necessary but fair. One of my favorite parents this year was sharing how much of a difference I made in her daughters life. She stated how I provide her daughter with an example of a young black person doing great things and how I have given her daughter confidence. I have heard these things before but now it is starting to sink in that this is the teacher I am. I have always wondered how I become my students favorite teacher. I'm mean as hell. I fuss all the time. Im unbending. I'm sarcastic. I'm rude. However, I am all of these things when they are not exemplifying the above list. I push my students and expect nothing less than excellence. I don't care what you go home to, at school is where you make it happen. Its the ticket to making your life go in the direction you want. Honestly that's why I am how I am today. So saying goodbye this year is going to be rough. I'm going to cry which I actually never do because I know that I'd see my kids again. This time will be different because I likely won't ever see them again nor will I be close enough to watch them grow, call them out on their foolishness, tell them how proud I am of their accomplishments, run them away from my room for being aggravating, etc. I am thankful though that I am making a difference.