- That moment when the student who has been in tears realizes that they aren’t expected to know everything already.
- The point in the day when a student spontaneously smiles and says, “Thank you.”
- The teacher next door who pokes his nose in and says hello without following up with a request to borrow…
- The administrator who pokes her nose in and says “Thanks for being here,” simply because she really cares.
- The parent who sees you in the parking lot and asks if you want extra help — and then actually comes in.
- The lesson plan that works out just as planned.
- The lesson that takes an unexpected turn and teaches you as much as the children.
- The professional development course that has real, and immediately useful, suggestions.
- The morning that you wake up and realize that you look forward to taking on the day.
It’s a short list (so far) but all of these things have happened to me, either during student teaching, or as a substitute. Teaching is full of good moments. There are challenging days, and sometimes heart-breaking situations, but in general I really look forward to each day I get to teach. And I spend hours thinking about lessons I would like to teach, lessons I would re-work, and lessons I hope I never repeat.