The little things that make teaching enjoyable

[readingrules12]

Okay, I am sure I'm not the first to post this. I do find this is a good time of the year to be inspired by all the good things that we see at school over the past year(s) as teachers.

1. The little paper Valentine's that the students still get excited about each year that they give to each other.

2. The smile on the child in the classroom who is struggling to make a friend who is opening her box full of valentines.

3. The teacher a few doors down who shared with me some of her math manipulatives today as I noticed we just weren't going to have enough for a lesson later today.

What are some you remember?

[smalltowngal]

The collaboration that I get with not only my coworkers but the students as well. I learn as much from them as they learn from me! x

[Caesar753]

I love getting little notes from students. This includes notes in actual letter format as well as little things written in the margins of their papers to me. Those always make me smile.

I love when I overhear students telling each other that they really like my class when they think I can't hear them.

I love looking at a grade distribution chart for an assessment and seeing a perfect bell curve. I always feel like I accomplished something amazing when I see that! Sometimes I think I might be a little OCD, but it really makes my day!

[brigidy]

This is going to sound strange, but I love how a school smells first thing in the morning. When I notice it, I go back to when I was so excited to do my student teaching.

When the students LOVE doing an activity. I want them to enjoy learning.

When I read a book aloud to them and they get so into it they check it out from the library to read it again by themselves!

[FourSquare]

I love when my students take over a lesson with good discussion and thinking.

I love when the custodian brings me my keys twice a week because I'm always leaving them on the office counter when I sign in.

I love cracking open my classroom door to the outside and smelling the fresh air.

I love when my principal notices something extra I did and says thank you.

I love staff breakfasts!

I love when my 6th graders tell me about their "long" (4 day, usually) relationships.

I love more things than I hate!

[TamiJ]

When my students tell me they love me. Priceless......

[MrsC]

Originally Posted by FourSquare

I love more things than I hate!

I agree!

I love:

-laughing with my students
-when my students make connections with what we're talking about and bring something in from home to share
-when former students come back to visit
-hugs

[stephenpe]

I love walking out the back door early and seeing the sun come up behind the school. Watching the hawks screaming across the sky announcing their dominance in the air. I thank God I have such a great place to work and space to allow my kids to run and play. And the little notes that hit my desk about being the best coach in the world. I always tell them "I'm the only coach you ever had so how do you know I'm the best?" And the hugs.....always the hugs.

[dr.gator]

Originally Posted by stephenpe

I love walking out the back door early and seeing the sun come up behind the school. Watching the hawks screaming across the sky announcing their dominance in the air. I thank God I have such a great place to work and space to allow my kids to run and play. And the little notes that hit my desk about being the best coach in the world. I always tell them "I'm the only coach you ever had so how do you know I'm the best?" And the hugs.....always the hugs.

But you are the best coach ever. You have been around forever! That's meant totally as a compliment!

[Peregrin5]

I've noticed the PE teacher at our school (she's been at our school for over 50 years!) always comes the earliest as well. I'll be there at like 6:00 thinking I'm the only one there, and she pops out of nowhere.

I love coming in on a cold morning, turning on the heat and some nice music and letting in the first few students early in the morning who like to just pop by, drop their things off and have a chat by the heater.

I love that our school atmosphere has the staff writing each other anonymous thank-you notes on the walls, and dropping little gifts in each other's boxes for no other reason than because we're all friendly.

I love it when students begin to drive themselves to achieve higher goals and I don't have to tell them to.