It's ok to be weak

As the school year ends the rumors begin to fly. Who will move to such and such grade, will we ever get rid of her, I wish we could have so and so on our team...change change change. A lot of times the change has to do with strengths and weaknesses. If someone is moved to a different grade or a different subject area it is simply to give them a chance to grow in their strengths and move away from their weaknesses. This is not always understood when people are moved however. Like I said the rumors begin to fly. (like with wings and everything!!!)

So Friday while I was releasing my lovely little terrapins back into their home waters at Poplar Island, change was taking place. I was 3 hours away and I still heard about all the changes happening at school she's going to 4th, and they're going to 3rd so what does that mean for me. We immediately begin to analyze the situations trying our hardest to firgure out what is going on and if it is for the best for us. Then after we figure it all out (or we think we've figured it all out) we begin to wonder, "Why did they place me here?" "Why wasn't I put here or there?" "Was I not good enough at what I do that they had to move me around?" That little prideful place inside our hearts begins to think that the change is all about us, that we have failed, that we are not good enough.

Not for me. I was moved to 3rd grade ILA (Integrated Lanuguage Arts). I have known I would be leaving math since late February early March. After a meeting with the principal on how much I loved teaching Social Studies she mentioned the idea of teaching ILA and Social Studies next year. I was extatic! She said point blank, "If I do have you teach math again someday, it will not be 5th grade math." At first I felt like a crappy failure. Then I realized that even though I can do math, I can't provide a challenge to my advance group. They provide a challenge to me. :)

So my weakness is math apparently, even though I've been teaching it for 2 years now. I have been given the oportunity to realize my weaknesses and work in my strengths. What an opportunity. I am so excited to be working with younger kids and to be teaching reading and writing. Now if I can only master spelling. :)