Tomorrow is Mothers’ Day and what better time to celebrate how many woman teachers, working women, share their lives and experiences with their students. (Don’t worry Dads, your day is coming too!) On a day such as this, I am reminded about how becoming a mom, made me a better teacher and how being a teacher makes me a better mom.
In education, we are taught the theory of child development and strategies to bring out the best in our students. Even years before I was a mom, as I sat in my education classes in college, I often thought of how I was being trained to be a good parent. Now, after 11 great years of teaching, I know that I am still learning from my students. My fourth graders are gearing me up for when my own children are 9 and 10 years old and my experience in teaching middle school was surely an education in things to do and not to do with my own kids. (The biggest lesson – Communicate with your child at home: question them and listen to them!)
The first weeks getting back to school after my maternity leave, I looked at my students very differently. They no longer were kids I enjoyed teaching, they were also other people’s little angels. I listened to them more gently, was a little bit more patient and communicated with parents more effectively. It’s almost as if my teaching had a new dimension to it. Of course, it was not easy leaving my own 3 month old child. In fact, it was the hardest thing I had to do! But when I came home from work, I loved my son and later daughter more intensely and was even more thankful for them.
Now, I happily share my experiences with my students about being a mom. They like that. They enjoy knowing that I am a caring mom at home and am not just their teacher. And at home, my children love hearing about my students at school. They understand that I work hard all day and then get to come home and work hard at loving them! It give them a new dimension to me
No matter how you celebrate Mother’s day – by being a mother or loving a mother, have a great weekend!
Fourth Assignment:
Being a working mom is rewarding and challenging no matter what profession you are in…cudos to all working women!
Please share your thoughts by adding to this Wallwisher! (It’s an online bulletin board.) You can double click into this right here or click this link to make the Wallwisher full screen.
DUE: I know you are busy, so do it right now!
