Happiness in my heart

Being remembered by the middle school kids I've taught as they are graduating from high school really does make my heart sing.  It's normal for them to invite many of their high school teachers as they still see them on a daily basis. As a middle school teacher, I am further removed from their minds so it's pretty special to see the invites roll in. 

As the invites for open houses show up in the mailbox, I am reminded of the awesome responsibility I have as an educator and the impact that I can have on each of the children in my classroom.  I have the power with my every word and action to influence these kids in either a positive or negative way. It's quite overwhelming when you step back and think about it.  My profession is not one in which you can always see the fruits of your labor on a daily basis or a weekly basis for that matter.  Sometimes it's not until years later when a former student or parent is kind enough to share the impact you've had that I know the words I spoke and the actions I displayed were ones that had a positive influence. It's those moments that easily keep me trucking in the world of education.

So, as I'm traveling from one reception to another, my heart smiles from the inside.  I can't wait for the students to find in their stack of cards the letter they wrote to themselves as an 8th grader. Will the advice they gave themselves have been heeded or the predictions they made come true? Shoot...will they even remember writing that letter on the last day of middle school?  What will they think of my note that I stuck in that envelope at the end of 8th grade?  Will it put a smile on their face? I can only hope that each of my students finds nothing but success and happiness in their future, as it's a future that's just beginning.

Here's to graduation reception season!