Oh the Life of a Teacher

I can't tell you how lovely it is to be able to have a week off in the middle of February AND get paid for it! I have been able to relax, actually spend time with Ryan for a change, and GO SNOWBOARDING! Haha, the snowboarding teacher...I will be excited to hear the reaction form my kids when they hear Mrs. Shumway went snowboarding. "Wait, what?! You snowboard Mrs. Shumway???"

It's funny too, in the short week I have been off, I have thought about my students so many times. I got a text from one of my girls last night that said, "Hi Mrs. Shumway. I miss you." The first thing that came into my mind was, "Awe how sweet." I guess I really am making an impact on my kids, whether they are learning much or not. The second thing that I thought was, "Wow, how bored my kids must be in order to miss me." Thinking back to my own breaks in elementary and middle school, I NEVER thought about my teachers until maybe the day before I went back. I'm so curious if the reason is boredom, or honestly what 'home' is like for so many of my students. I know that some of my students have a hard home-life, and I wish that there was something I could do to help. But I guess in the long run, I am helping as much as I can in the classroom. I am helping them with their basic homework-completion skills, I am helping them understand the importance of respecting their peers and teachers, and I am helping them to understand that they CAN succeed and that they are loved.

Though my break has been short, I am starting to miss those sweet (and some not so sweet) faces. Please continue to pray for my kids. they need all of the love they can get.