Best Parts

Here are my very favorite things about teaching.

• Talking about reading and writing all the time.
• Being consulted by boys about their plans for the big dances. It's cute how much it means to them to impress their dates.
• Getting little thank you notes in journals and emails and Digimon cards and yearbook pages.
• Having opportunities to help people every single day.
• Seeing the smiles on the faces of kids who have been struggling but who finally get it.
• Doing service projects with my National Honors Society kids.
• Hearing about how students apply what I teach them (semi-colons in text messages, research papers about family vacation destinations that win them parental pride and money for the trip, etc.).
  
• Going to pep rallies and assemblies.
• Seeing someone I recommended a book to read it and love it as much as I did.
  
• Working with other English teachers; they are kindred spirits.
• Watching my seniors walk at graduation.
  
• Knowing that, if I do it right, I can make a difference in the world.

Sometimes it's hard. But mostly it's great. I love what I do, and I'm glad that I get to do it.