AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!

You know when you just have one of those days. My one of those days quickly turned into a week. Public school funding is going down the tubes, administration isn't acknowledging our student population is becoming more difficult, and I'm planning a wedding with a man who lives two and half hours away from me. I keep repeating my new mantra "everything will be fine, everything will be fine." But will it? I've had meetings everyday this week before and after school and I'm busy preparing for a district wide art show that includes, gathering artwork, handing out and collecting permission slips, preparing the artwork, and delivering it all to the district office. Busy, busy, busy.... But when do I get back to my students? That is the reason I teach. My students keep asking me, "When are you staying after? I want to get caught up on my work."  I know, I know. Less meetings, less bureaucracy, more student time, more STUDENT TIME, MORE STUDENT TIME! Today was different. Today the students celebrated Valentine's day. All the chocolates, paper hearts, teddy bears, secret admirers, and all that stuff that makes for a crazy day at school. Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of holidays celebrated at school because the students are so distracted that you can't teach. But today, today was different. I needed a reminder about why I teach, why I spend so many hours preparing meaningful lessons, why I pour my heart into school, why I force students to create two sketches and choose the best one for their final work when they barely want to do one, why I struggle with kids to do their best work, all kids, not just the ones who like school. I was reminded today why I teach, because I love it. And today I was loved back. I was loved by my students, not just the ones who like school but by a lot of students. A lot of students loved me today. I got chocolate, I got gum, I got Valentine's cards, I got high fives, I got hugs, I got to go on a field trip to Minnesota Center for the Book Arts and made a book with my art club students.  I got so many answers about why I teach. Now, I just have to remember all those reasons the next time I have one of those days.