The Wonder of it All...

Working with kids has taught me a lot...

A big part of teaching is reflecting.
Much of what I learned in college about teaching is so true, yet so hard to put into practice in real life.

For example, the traditional idea of the role of the teacher is challenged.
Whilst one has to maintain classroom management, one must still keep a humble attitude towards learning. Oftentimes I find myself learning as much from the kids as they (hopefully) do from me!

Watching childhood innocence - a child's need to love and be loved, so guilelessly acted out, I have caught myself on occasion becoming too authoritative and stifling this precious wonder that children have for the world.

Every morning as I walk to school, I remind myself, and pray to God to help me foster that sense of wonder instead of stifle it... to encourage curiosity instead of bending the kids to fit rules.

Despite it all, the big bad world is still out there... and I find that it has become my job as a "teacher" to ease these children into the way the world works - neither to coddle them when the going gets tough, nor to harden their hearts by hitting them with reality.

It is a fine balance that teachers must straddle... with plenty of love and openness.


Each child I see has become to me a lesson in life - often inspiring me to try to take back some of that innocent wonder... to look at the world with awe...