The Three Best Reasons
“June, July, and August!” This is often the punchline to the question, “What are the three best reasons for being a teacher?” While June, July, and August give those of us who love what we do an opportunity to enjoy personal and professional development opportunities that keep us fresh and in the game, I’d like to offer three more reasons that inspire us to be in the classroom.
The Kids
Every child who graces our classrooms can be anything they want to be. Literally. Middle school is messy and sometimes tough years for our students, but we love the unpredictability of working with young people at such a formative time in their lives. In addition to helping them discover who they are and what they stand for, we never know who will be crossing the threshold on a daily basis. We scatter seeds and hope for the best, and the greatest gift to any teacher is to see our students bloom and succeed, and as middle school teachers, this gift is especially precious.
Our Collective Future
There is nothing better than seeing that potential realized as students make their way through not only our classrooms but the classroom that is the greater world. Those seeds we scattered have taken root, and children become empowered young adults who’ve found their voices. The ideas we introduced in our respective classes, clubs and sports teams have made an impact. “Our” kids are not only out in the world making things happen, sometimes they take the time to come back and let us know. Even without an explicit thank you, the visits and the stories of their adventures alone are thank you enough.
Ourselves
We work in a place that not only expects but celebrates life-long learners. Even though we are the leaders in our classrooms, we get to model what it means to be a student on a daily basis. Years beyond our own adolescence, we still struggle and want perfection. And while no one likes to have their failures on display, we also model failing with grace and picking ourselves up. As teachers, we are taking risks on a daily basis. Whether we are bringing something new into our spaces of learning or tweaking a lesson to make it better, we are constantly reflecting on our craft and growing. We are vulnerable and grow as learners with our students, and the number of times we learn something from our kids is immeasurable.
Marti has a master’s degree in curriculum and pedagogy from the University of Colorado- Denver. A former English teacher and Denver native, she loves connecting with people face-to-face, tennis and Sunday dinners with the family.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
