I Love this Job...Thoughts by Room 40's teacher

When I was a little girl, I would pretend I was a teacher in my room at home.  My grandfather would give me teacher books from Galloway (he was principal there in the eighties) and I would teach my bears and rabbits.  I would glue name tags on each animal (made my mom mad) and knew each animal as a student and as a stuffed animal.  While my animals were at recess, I would go into the kitchen and pour a glass of Kool-Aid and talk about how tough my job was and how bad my class was being today.  After my break, I always went back to the animals ready to teach again.

I love my job.

I originally thought I would be a child psychologist motivated by money, but then quickly changed my major in college and never looked back.  I was eager to begin student teaching first graders in Hays County committed to teaching first grade for the rest of my life.  When it came time to get a job, that school only had third grade available so I took it.  I loved it and promised to only teach third grade for the rest of my career.  Five years later, I moved up to the fifth grade and fell in love again.  I think I just love to teach no matter what the age.

I write all this because my heart goes out to the teachers that lost their lives this week.  I feel like I knew them and knew their heart for kids and for educating.  I relate to their love of the job and for protecting their kids.  Their kids...the gift of getting them for seven hours in a day.  The gift of getting to know them as people.  Like police officers or fire fighters, we serve a purpose and know the risks that are involved.  We do it anyway.  None of those teachers that lost their lives would have done anything different.  We live in a world that does not value public education, but love the teachers that are committed to serve in this profession.  Love the good ones that open their hearts and serve not just the students, but their families as well. 

My heart also goes out to the innocent lives that were lost for showing up to school.  Those kids did their job; their job was to learn and they did it well.  Each one mattered and made a difference by being a friend or fellow learner.  Their lives, though short, mattered.  Each student both former and current matters.  You matter to me.

Thank you for calling me your teacher.  The greatest job in the world.  Thank you to all the teachers that share my passion and vision for a better world through the benefits of educating.  Thank you to all the students that come to school eager to learn and use each day as an opportunity to get better. 

Love, Mrs. Tyndall