Perspective

I am having so much fun teaching third grade. This job is so much better than my last assignment. There is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful that that job was just a long term sub assignment. It was a pretty horrible experience. Most of my coworkers were lovely people who were just as committed to doing right by the students, as any teachers I have seen. That said, I have put it on record that I will not go back to that school unless my children are starving and it is the only option.

As bad as my last job was, I am thankful I had it. It makes me appreciate what I have now. Because I was thrown into an impossible situation in terms of behavior and expectations, I had to constantly come up with strategies on how to just make it through the day. The strategies were good ones. And you know what? They work even better in a school with a positive atmosphere and a supportive administration.

I am also so grateful that I had the experience at AJ's elementary school teaching art. It too was a positive atmosphere with a supportive administration. When I went into the long term-sub position, I had something to compare it to. It was, as you can imagine, glaringly lacking. I am so glad that I was able to recognize it because honestly, there were teachers who had worked there for 15 years who simply did not know any better. 

I hope I still feel this way in a few weeks, a few months and a few years. However, with that first horrible experience as my guide, I have a feeling I will remember to.