A Bad Day Doesn't Mean A "Bad Life"

This week at school, I had my first really, really, really, really crappy day. For the first time in two and a half months of being a first-year teacher, I cried at my desk at the end of the day (which isn't even that bad, I don't think).  I'll save you the sad little details; dealt with loud students and frustrations.

I sat at my desk, alone, after all of my students left and thought to myself "What am I doing?" Why didn't I just pick a boring 9-5 job? What am I doing? I'm teaching. I didn't pick a boring 9-5 job because teaching is important. I am doing something every day, whether I realize it or not. I am helping these crazy little kids. Sometimes, bad days happen, but it doesn't mean a bad life (or a bad career choice). 

Remember when...
- I told my students I was going to be out the next day and they begged me to stay?
- Ash drew the sign that said "Math Can Be a Blast"?
- Joey scored a 96% on his math test after staying with me during lunch time tutoring?
- Andy scored a 71% and I cheered?
- Ang gave me a birthday gift that she saved up with her own allowance money?
- My Assistant Principal told me my colleagues were raving about me being a new staff member?
- Antoine says "Bye, have a great day!" at the end of every class period?
- Liza emailed me to see how my day was doing?
- Ethan offered to bring in multiplication charts for the whole class to use?
- Joanne's mom told me that originally her daughter didn't like me because I was actually going to make her work hard?
- Diane, Kate, and Alice found me during lunch to get my opinion on a poem they wrote?

It's moments like this that teachers need to hang on to. 

Teaching isn't an easy job. In fact, it's much much harder than I ever imagined it to be. Part of the reason I went into teaching was because I thought I'd have short days to be able to have a family and kids one day. Wrong-o. Teachers work hard during the day and stay late after the school day is over. We juggle one zillion things at once, while keeping our composure (somehow) for our students. I've worked harder in the last two and a half months than a full year of college.

So, Dear Teachers Everywhere,
We are important. We are doing something. We will have a bad day and we will have another bad one again soon. We try not to focus on the bad stuff, but sometimes it's hard not to. So, once in a while, take a moment or two to appreciate the little things that get lost in the craziness of every day. 

Love Always,
Lisa, a forever-optimistic teacher living through the chaotic life of her first year teaching