It’s not about the kids.
We often hear “it’s all about the kids”.
But in the case of the extreme exhaustion, anxiety and fear heard in the stories I’ve held of teachers these years (and in my own journey), I can undoubtedly say, these things are NOT about the kids.
Our learners bring me joy and happiness not sadness. They bring me light and hope not darkness. They bring me a sense of purpose and don’t leave me guessing about why I do what I do and how blessed I am to do it even on the hard days. They inspire me and trust me to inspire and nurture them. They believe in me and I in them. They make me feel like they are grateful to be part of our classroom community and I sure as heck know that I feel the same about them.