Monday Morning Message…Light and Shade

Good morning, Teacher!

I have been under the weather a bit over the last week, and it caught up to me a bit this weekend and I am dragging this morning.  I just couldn’t find a song for the weekly theme song!  I knew what I was looking for, but I just couldn’t find it.  I am really sorry!  I will try again this afternoon because I am out of time this morning.

I thought I would share this graphic/poster with you in the meantime.  As teachers, sometimes it is our job to be the light to students.  We need to show them the way to learn, think, and do this all on the own.  This can be hard because we are fighting their want to have things thought out for them and handed to them.  It can be a grueling job and quite tiring!    It can be a constant battle with some students and then a constant river of encouragement for others….and then everything else in between for the rest.  It is mentally exhausting to do all of this and to constantly be aware of what students need.

This there is the flip-side.  Sometimes we are not the light to students.  Sometimes we are the shade.  We do not always know what our students’ lives are like outside of our classrooms.  We do not know their struggles, hurts, and trials of everyday existence.  There is scorching heat that comes from life…like the noonday sun in the desert.  It is hard to keep going sometimes.  We all need a “shady place” when life is hard…especially our students.  Sometimes it is our job to be this shade.  What this looks like is different from person to person and student to student, but it is a real need.  We need to recognize when to be this shade and find a way to be it.

It is a difficult part of being a teacher to know what what our students need and to try to play the role that fills a need…but it is a part of who we are.  Let’s look for times today when we need to be light and when we need to be shade…and then let’s be what our students need!

You are awesome and amazing, as always.  I know you know when to be light and when to be shade.  I know you have the strength to be both.  Do it well today.  Cast light and give cover.  You can do it.  You are making a huge difference.  Never forget it!  Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher!

PS…Tomorrow is the last day to enter the Pinterest Contest!