How Time Flies!!!

As you might have seen in my profile, I am a teacher. I taught second grade for, I think, the first ten years of my career. The past five, I have been "looping", where I teach first grade for one year and then take the same students up through second grade.

You might be wondering where this is going... Well, I am sitting here on my lunch break, getting ready for about an hour from now when a student from my very first year of teaching will be coming in to do a two hour observation of my class because she is studying to be a teacher herself! I'm not sure if that makes me feel old... which I definitely am OLDER (39). I was just a pup out of college when I first started teaching at age 24 (I hope I didn't to any permanent damage to her and the others!).

But it will be very interesting to see her again and to find out what's been happening in her life for the past fifteen years... actually fourteen. She e-mailed me one day out of the blue, asking for the observation time. I still have an image of her up to about my waist, and showing me, everyday, her bubbly personality. I hope that hasn't changed! It just got me to thinking about how, when you are in a certain place in your life, you tend to think it will be that way forever. And while I knew I wouldn't have her as a student forever, I didn't really take the time to enjoy her when I had her.

Now she's coming back as a, gulp!, 22 year old young woman ready to head out into the world. I know she'll do well. But it's something a teacher very rarely gets to see: How a student turns out "in the end".

My thoughts are focusing on remembering this feeling with my own children. Some days are wonderful where everything goes great! Others frustrate me beyond comprehension. But such is parenthood. Even though I know my children will grow up one day, I sometimes live in the delusion that I always have "tomorrow" to fix a problem with my sons, when that isn't the case. I need to appreciate them everyday, the good and the bad. Someday, they too will be ready to head out into the world. I only hope I don't lose out on anything good due to my own shortsightedness while they are young!

Well, lunch is just about over, and I have lessons to get ready. Let me know if you have any thoughts on my ramblings!

Kurt