Lessons from the Classroom

Over the course of the past school year, I served as a substitute teacher in Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD. One of the joys highlighted through this experience included working with students at all different grade levels. I learned, very quickly, there is little difference between a 5 year-old and a 12 year-old ... other than the student's size! More importantly, I learned some valuable lessons from which we could all benefit. Rest and quiet time is important to one's overall well-being, even if you just stand on your head with the lights off. We will never serve that volleyball with 100% perfection the first time a volleyball is placed in our hands. Grace and practice motivate us to stay in the game. We all need dependable friends who won't hesitate to tell us the truth... the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I remember walking into a classroom and one little girl excitedly announcing, "You look JUST like one of the witches in the Hocus Pocus movie!" There is always, always, always something to be grateful for. I loved when a prek student brought her lunch to school for the first time. She had all the contents of that lunch spread over 2 tables while...the class was eating breakfast! It's o.k. to be the caboose and pull a heavy wagon. The next day, you might be the leader! Sometimes, we all need to just enjoy the simple things in life. At one time, while serving on lunch duty, a precious 1st grader looked up at me and said, "I just love eating at school." Sometimes, we need to eat pizza, fries and corn ...just because. Some things will be harder to learn than others. Opening that silly paper milk carton is just tricky. It's OK to ask for help. One day you'll be able to do it all by yourself. Our words matter, way beyond elementary school. I still love when kindergarteners run up to you and say, "Wow. You're so pretty!" We all need to pause and have fun. At the end of the day, we're all part of one team. Today, hug a teacher. Thank a teacher. Admire the talents of a teacher. They continue to oversee important life lessons from the 4 walls of a blessed classroom.