Couch Chat

The other night we both ended up on the couch chattin about our jobs. We love them. Truly love them. How did we get so lucky? I wanted to be a teacher with my own classroom and students who called me their teacher. But no. I am a teacher to about 350 students, yard supervisor to 400 students and reading coach to 28. I know almost all 350 names and I love walking into their classroom with their real teacher and having them sneak a smile or a quick hi my way. That's what warm fuzzies in your heart feel like. Who knows if I'll ever be a real teacher. At the beginning of the school year I didn't want to be an aid...now, I wake up every day eager to walk on campus and tell each and everyone of my students good morning. I settle handball disputes. I tell the 6th graders that think cussing it cool to expand their vocabulary. I am the giver of warm greetings and hugs. We laugh and joke and connect our learning to Taylor Swift & Kobe Bryant. I'm the teacher who tells tales of my elementary years so they know I know what it's like.
     A couple weeks ago I told them about the boy who called me Santa Claus in 5th grade and how embarrassed I felt being teased. Last week some of my 6th graders were coming up with different names to call me; Styffle Tower is their favorite so far (???). One of my favorite students suggested Santa. I turned to him and with a firm but calm voice said, "Too far." He dropped his shoulders and I moved on to something else. A couple minutes later as I was grading on the side he approached. "I'm sorry I called you Santa." WHAT!?!?!?!? The moment had passed, I was not mad at him but he came to me and apologized! "I 100% forgive you and I appreciate you coming to me and apologizing. That shows you have character." Immediately back to his goofy self he calls to his friend, "O, I have character!" I swelled with pride. I don't just focus on standards and grades but the person behind that academic stuff. I'm the teacher that builds up the whole student not just the academic student.
     Peter has just as good of stories. He cares for patients who are close to death and comforts not only them but their heartbroken family members in the waiting room too. He wakes up doctors in the middle of the night and has the confidence to verify their orders. Letters past patients have written about him are read in the staff meetings to all his colleagues. He prays with his patients and gives them hope for their future. He cares for not only the physical needs of his patients and their families but also for the spiritual and emotional needs. He is awesome at his job.
     Do you see the overlap in our jobs?? I'm responsible for increasing their academic knowledge, making sure they know how to count the syllables in a word and figure out the meaning of a word using it's prefix as a clue. Peter is responsible for giving the right medicine at the right time, charting (everything!), taking vitals, and following the doctor's orders. But while I'm teaching and Peter's caring for the body, we are focusing on the whole person. While taking care of the "part" we're responsible for we have to consider and meet the needs of the "whole" person. What happens outside the classroom/hospital bed affects every part of the student/patient and that's who we assist-- the whole person. They are so much more than their reading level/illness. They are God's masterpiece, intricately made and knit together. We are honored to get to do what we do. We love how our jobs are so different yet so similar. Go God!

xo, p&l