The End

Well, all good things must come to an end. Yesterday marked the end of my long-term subbing position. The students' teacher will take back over on Monday.

It's with mixed emotions that I hand back over the reigns. I invested a lot. I worked so hard. It was anything but easy when I first started. Then, I made progress with the kids. I saw them actually learning and having those light bulb moments. That's when teaching is just so much fun for me--when the kids are into it. And they were.

I feel like I was just hitting my groove. I finally knew our routine like the back of my hand. I know each one's strengths and weaknesses, and I also know that about myself. I know who to let go to the bathroom in groups and who not to because they just can't handle the freedom. I know who will ask to go to the nurse everyday, and I sometimes know if they are telling the truth. I just now mastered my schedule for when students would be pulled out of the class for special interventions (Special Ed, Resource, etc). 3 months ago I thought I would never know--I just couldn't keep up with all of it!

I know whose job it is to turn on the computers in the morning and whose job it is to turn them off in the afternoon. I finally know that on pretty days, we give the kids extra recess, but on icky-weather days, we come in at the normal time. I have finally started to remember to check my email during the day, so that I'm not outta the loop with information.

I can finally read the expressions of my students' faces when they just don't get it. I know who will raise their hand to ask a question every 5 minutes, and I know who will not ever ever ever raise their hand no matter what I do. I can tell who is trying--who is doing their best work--and who is just not. I know the stories behind these kids and now it finally makes sense why they aren't doing their best work, and I have much more understanding.

Teaching might be called teaching. But these last 3 months it was almost more about learning for me. The kids taught ME so much. I'm grateful for the experience....and now I'm on to the next one.

Hopefully it'll be my own class. For the whole year. From the beginning.

I bet that will seem just too easy because I just had a taste of this: "God will never give you more than you can handle." I'm thankful for that. He has made me ready for anything.

Thank you, Lord, for that! You are good!