school daze

I recently started a new job...

I am now an afternoon preschool teacher about fifteen minutes from where I live, and this was my first week. I am now charged with the care and well-being of a dozen squirming toddlers, talk about EXHAUSTING. But so far it's very gratifying work.

The neighborhood I'm working in is a little rough, and my director and coworkers have informed me that it's likely that my face is the only friendly face my kids will see most days. Life at home can be tough for my students. Some of these kids come from families who work insane amounts of hours just to keep food on the table. Some of these kids don't live with their parents. Some of them were born in another country. The point is that the children are the most diverse group I've ever worked with. I've never worked in early childhood care before, nor have I worked in an urban environment before, and it amazes me how quickly I've become attached to these kids.

As an education major, in all my courses they've told me that we as teachers can make a huge difference in a kid's life. I know it sounds cheesy, but I really do feel that this summer I've been given the opportunity to make a difference, to make an impact on another person's life. This is not going to be easy, and it's probably going to include a lot of tantrums and fights over who gets to be line leader, but I'm extremely grateful for the chance to be a part of these children's lives and to get to give back to the city I love.