Why I Teach

Last Friday night, Brad and I went to the home of two of my students. It was the home of the fabulous "B" boys. I work with their mom and adore her. The boys are precious, so well spoken and so loving. I have taught both boys for two years now and am looking forward to a third. "Jo" will be in third this year and "Ju" will be in fifth. To give you an idea of how much I cherish these kids, Ju called me his "school Mom" last year. We have a close relationship still although I think the coolness of fourth grade caused that title to fade a little. He still comes to me , asking me to squeeze his head when he has a headache. They are a fabulous family.

So fabulous that to show me how much they appreciated what I have done for them this past school year, the family invited me to dinner and games at their house. It was such a special night. We ate pizza, played Cranium, Apples to Apples, team bowled in Wii. It was so great and I had such a great time. The appreciation they gave me left me inspired to fight for what I believe is right as a teacher. And what did I give them?

Well, I offered to bring something to dinner. When asked what Mrs. Dillard should bring, "Ju" said dessert. I rose to the challenge. I made a dessert out of ice cream sandwiches and brought sprinkles so they could decorate it before eating. It didn't take them along due to their outstanding creativity and help from little sister.

So these are the reasons I teach - not for the pay, the summers off , or the easy way out - to make a noticeable difference in the life of a child.