This school year has been a unique one for me. For the first time I am not just an elementary school teacher, but an elementary school parent. This year my oldest child is a Kindergartener. It’s been quite the experience being on “the other side” of the education equation.
Recently, my daughter has started bringing home a baggie of books from school that she chooses from her classroom library. We typically read them together or she pages through and looks at the pictures on her own.
This weekend, I caught her curled up on the couch with her baggie of books. As I stood in the doorway and listened, I realized she was not just looking at the pictures…She was reading! Not only was she reading the words, but she was cracking up! I’m talking belly laughs with tears streaming down her cheeks!
Curious, I asked if I could join her. Through her hiccups and giggles she invited me over. She eagerly reported that this was the funniest book she ever read because the dog in the book was absolutely “ENORMOUS”, but his name was…”TINY”! (little kid humor at its finest!)
At that moment, my mind wandered back to her days as a newborn… struggling to grow and thrive like most babies do in their early months. She was so very tiny. Today, as I watched her become a reader, she seemed totally enormous.
After I listened to her read the whole book, I was completely awe-struck. All I could manage to say was… “When did you learn to read?! How did this happen?!”
These were silly questions, of course, because I’ve worked in elementary schools for years. I’ve been a classroom teacher. I’ve taught reading. I know exactly how it happened.
I’m sharing this story because, from the “other side” of the education equation I now feel, more than ever, the power and impact of our work.
I hope you know all the tiny things you do every day to help your students learn and grow are actually not tiny at all… they are, in fact, quite enormous.
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