Why Do I Teach?

Do you wonder why you do what you do?  Do I really make a difference?  Do they really get it?

Today, into my office strolled a former student from St. Mary’s.  He was dressed in his full Marine dress blues.  This was a student I spent A LOT of time with…and when I say A LOT of time, I mean A LOT of time.  One constant was that he always wanted to be a Marine.  I told him it was my job to help get him there.  That me calling him out on things was helping to prepare him for that step…teaching him to be respectful was so he would be able to tolerate it when a drill sergeant was yelling at him during boot camp.  I always told him I would be proud to see him serving our country and I hoped to shake his hand as a Marine one day.

And today I was able to shake the hand of this Marine.  Ok…I hugged him too…and cried.  He told me, "Thank you Mrs. Neill."  He told me how he was appointed as a squad leader thus receiving a promotion right out of boot camp.  He walks taller and he talks like an adult. 

He made my day.

This is why I do this job…when I want to pull my hair out and scream…I will remember today.  This is why I am an educator.