A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by the school I used to teach at to be a judge at their spelling bee. (For those of you that are interested, I used to teach 2nd grade until I decided to home school my children.) I was thrilled, but nervous, as I haven’t seen my colleagues since last year.
I worked at B.M. Williams for 6 years. I started as a long term substitute and the next year was offered a full time position. If I hadn’t decided to home school, I would have been there until now. Having worked at several other schools before coming to B.M. Williams, I thought I knew what to expect. I didn’t. My first year, I expected to sit in the lunchroom by myself, and to get minimal contact with the staff. This had been my experience at all the other schools I taught at. It wasn’t until a couple months that I actually made friends. That wasn’t the case here. I was welcomed by the staff. My first week, nearly every second grade teacher came into my classroom to introduce themselves, even though I was “just a sub.” They offered help in setting up my classroom and suggestions. As the year went by, I discovered that the teachers shared ideas and weren’t in the least offended if you used their ideas. (Normally, this would be called “stealing” someone else’s idea–and you wouldn’t dare do that at the schools I had previously worked at.) We shared copies of stuff and made up worksheets to share with everyone. I never sat at lunch alone. I always had someone to spend time with. (In some schools, it can be as bad as a high school popularity contest!) There was such support from each other. In a school that is as big as we are, it isn’t easy to get to know everyone, but I did. (There were 10 Kindergarten classes, 13 First Grade classes, and 14 second grade classes, besides special ed classes. It was a Primary school.) Many people have commented on how it feels like a “family,” and that is really what it was. It was hard to leave, but I knew it was the right decision. Believe it or not, most of the teachers I worked with supported my decision to home school, and I never felt that they thought it was a stupid idea.
So I got to judge a spelling bee this week. I felt like a celebrity because everyone welcomed me back, just like always. I got to see old friends and my old classroom. Everyone told me how great I looked and was genuinely interested in my life and hearing how things were. (I need to go back more often, to get my ego stroked! Ha!) I miss my colleagues and the day to day interaction with them. I don’t miss all the work, the parents and the paperwork. I don’t miss having my family suffer because of my not being there. I don’t miss the lack of support from the higher-ups because they don’t want to offend a parent. I don’t miss getting up at 5:30 and staying until sometimes 7:00 at night to get work done. I don’t miss spending my whole weekend doing lesson plans and grading papers. But I have to say, I miss the family I was part of for a short time.
I had a great day! I’m definitely in a different place than I was a couple of years ago, that is for sure! I can’t wait to have this baby and home school and continue on this path God has put me on! Things change. I know that. I don’t want to go back, but it was nice to be loved on today.