Simple Gifts

So our wonderful 8th grade math teacher came to visit my classroom today. We were in writing class, she was in lunch.

(Although I do not at all miss teaching 7th grade and LOVE my job right now, I do miss being connected to her room and seeing her multiple times a day. Can't we have the best of both worlds?)

She dropped off a note for me and left after being in awe of the tiny size of my peanuts.

"Dear Ms. L,
It is a pleasure to have your students after you had them for 2 years. They work well in groups. They problem solve and persevere when they don't understand something. They do mental math and have at least a vague idea of basic skills. I love them already. Can you keep your 5th graders for three years and them give them to me?"

I teared up while my kiddos were playing "the question game" in their writer's notebooks.

I don't think a non-teacher would understand how amazing this note was to receive. What is even more amazing is how she talks about what my kiddos are doing in class. They are PROBLEM SOLVING. (I don't quite care that they have little number sense. You tell me how to teach that well and I'll be the first one to try your method.) They work in groups. They DO WORK for a TEACHER other than ME.

In a nutshell, they learned lessons I tried to teach them. They learned them so it became natural to do. They learned enough to do it in a novel setting.

They learned what I taught them. And this is the best gift I have ever received.

I tend to give my kids this example about my job: I work and work and work tirelessly. And it's not like I leave the classroom every day with everyone cheering or anyone clapping for me. Have you ever seen anyone stand outside my room, clapping and cheering as we learn how to make connections? NO. I just go about my job with little encouragement or praise, very rarely knowing if what I do makes a difference.

Thank you, super colleague, for making me realize that what I do makes a difference.