It’s so hard to believe that I have almost finished my second year of teaching! And it is difficult to say goodbye…over the past two years I have grown to love the teachers and the students at North Valley Middle School. Two years ago I was seeking an elementary teaching position, but God chose instead to place me in a middle school. I had no idea what He was doing. I had only four days to prepare for teaching an age group of students I didn’t even know how to relate to, yet He has blessed me abundantly through them.
I had been told that your first teaching job was usually not your dream job, but that if you could just “get your foot in the door,” you’d be well on your way to get there. I suppose my job at North Valley could be considered “getting my foot in the door” since it has lead to a full time position teaching 5th grade…but the past two years were not at all insignificant. In fact, I embraced this new position with such wholeheartedness that it breaks my heart to leave it behind. Who knew I would ever be a middle school teacher?! But I have grown to love middle school students—I love sharing my life with them and helping them learn and grow. I enjoy their humor, their thoughts and ideas, and even their awkwardness.
As I enjoyed life at school today, I realized that there are so many things I will miss about North Valley Middle School:
…like the friendships I’ve made in the teachers and staff and the monthly “Fantastic Friday” potlucks we’ve shared
…like the excitement, generosity, and involvement of students at the Fellowship of Christian Students club every Thursday morning
…like students yelling “Miss Agee!” across the field and waving with their whole bodies as I arrive to school during lunch recess
…like 8th graders giving me high-fives and knuckles as I pass them in the hallways
…like the faces of my gifted and talented students lighting up the second I walk into one of their grade level classrooms
…like my 7th graders’ strange fascination with sitting on their desks, hiding in cupboards, and squishing themselves onto shelves
…like my 6th graders’ eagerness to learn and their HUGE imaginations
…like my 8th graders’ appreciation and love of me, despite their crazy, uncontrollable behavior
The list could go on and on. Every stage of life is so unique and special, making it hard to move on to the next stage, exciting as it may be. The past two years of my life have been a lesson in learning to grow where I’m planted, and as I look back I can see how much I have grown—not only as a teacher but also as a person. The Lord has a purpose in every detail of life, and I am so thankful that He chose to place me at North Valley Middle School to start my teaching career. This adventuresome “detour” has been worth every minute.
“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1