A few words

 Since she announced it on fb, I am just going to throw a few words out about this girl.  When she was 7 years old, we read the Little House on the Prairie series.  She became obsessed with 2 things - pioneers, and becoming a teacher.   The part where she wanted to be a pioneer quickly died when we spent a week without power during an ice storm, however the determination to become a teacher never left.  She wanted to teach.  There was no question about college choices for her.  There was not any hesitancy about majors.  There was no pauses or questioning of whether she should change majors.  She wanted to be a teacher.  And when she graduated, there was no hesitancy about teaching in her home town.  She interviewed and landed her dream job.  When that school told her she should get her Master's degree, also no hesitancy.  Jump in and do all the things.  

And she is a good teacher.  Actually, she is a great teacher.  I cannot tell you how many people have stopped me to tell me how wonderful she was with their kids.  I cannot tell you how proud I have been of her.  She has been teaching for 7 years.  Never a doubt in my mind that she was fufilling her calling. 

Until this year.  This year has been rough.  Not for the reasons that you would think.  These teachers - 

they put up with parents who think they know more about educating than you do, despite them having no formal education.

They put up with behavior issues

and attitude problems.

They are handed kids who have severe medical issues.  Allergies to nuts, milk, wheat.  And if you 'forget' they could die.  And it is your job to make sure nobody else in the school forgets either.  

They figure out how to afford projects and make sure special things are done with the kids.  They take money out of their own pockets to buy things for the kids, for their classrooms, for snack times.  They will literally do anything and everything to make sure kids have a chance at success.  And I have seen it.

I have also seen the tears.  The disappointments.  The worry about a kid who was removed from their house.  The stress of wondering what will happen to them.  The love.  

I have seen the tears from being yelled at by a parent, and an equal amount of confusion after that same parent requested you the next year for child #2?  And I am only looking from the outside.

But this year.  This year, I have seen my daughter, who has always wanted to be teacher cry tears of anger over decisions made by the district.  Tears of sadness over being told to "do less."  Tears of frustration over the way  the administration chose to conduct themselves.  And I watched her lose her heart for teaching.  They were beating her down.  I was angry, but I understood clearly what was happening, and stood powerless to help.  I was also angry.  Nobody gets to suck the life out of my kid's dream.  

But then, an opening at a private school in Topeka.  An opening at a school where we personally know the principal.  He invited her to come for a special night they were having.  And she stopped by here afterwards to tell me that "this is what school should be."  Creativity - allowed and embraced.  Science - encouraged and believed in.  Math and Reading - of course!  Hands on acivies - expected.  And she was back.  Excited about teaching again.  Wanting to do more for kids again.  Believing in possibilities again.  And for that I am extremely thankful.  I don't know what will happen at her new job next year, but it cannot possibly be bad if it puts the spark back in her eyes as I have seen this week!  I am proud of you, Mallory, for stepping out of your comfort zone.  For undersatnding that sometimes in order to grow, we have to let go of the past and that dreams can change a little bit.  I am praying this will be a wonderful experience for you!