My husband, Paul, started his student teaching this fall. His first assignment is with 5th graders in the Missouri public school system. As I write this, he is sitting in the living room, grading papers and planning lessons....ahhhh, memories.
Twenty-four years ago I was in those student-teaching shoes; however, my grade level was 9th, and my subject area was English. It probably took me about 20 years to get over the trauma of those months completely. In just two months, I lost 20 pounds and experienced the greatest stress in my life up to that point. Probably the only reason I am alive today is because my house-mate at the time, Maria, fed me and encouraged me. At the end of student-teaching, I wasn't sure I even wanted to be a teacher...in fact, I said I didn't want to be a teacher.
Last night, Paul came home and declared he doesn't want to be a teacher. Poor guy...he and I are very much alike....we both have perfectionist tendencies, and it took me about 2 years to realize, finally, that you cannot be a perfectionist and be a teacher. Plus, there is not a kinder, gentler man on the planet, and that tendency simply doesn't "work" very well with 5th graders. One of his biggest challenges is to 'be mean'....and so, here we are, walking through his challenging student-teaching experience! Plus, he is at a tremendous disadvantage compared to me 24 years ago....the students today are MUCH more challenging on a number of levels, and teachers hands are tied in many ways they weren't "back then."
Praise God I've been there, done that, and could write a book. God knew, and so as I sit here catching up on my blogging, he is grading and planning....ah the joys of being a green teacher. We both need a lot of grace in this season...thankfully, the Lord never runs out of grace. I know Paul is going to be a GREAT teacher...he will survive student-teaching and the Lord will place him exactly where he needs to be! Do pray for him, though, through December...and for me to love him well!
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