Those who can, Teach!

The day is over. At least it is for my Grade 5 class, because the rooms are empty and there is the unusual  silence that only occurs at this time of day. There is also the drained feeling of heaviness and relief. It's as though my body which was tightly wound for several hours finally had the permission to sink into its natural rhythm. As we used to say in pidgin English when I was a teen, I am degassed, devoid of gas or fuel, and I've realized something. It isn't so much the teaching that tires me out; it isn't the constant movement or the talking or the modeling or the heightened state of attentiveness. For me it is the learning. Teaching has to be synonymous with learning, right? Learning about what works for each child, what doesn't work, who needs more or less of what, and why. It is exhausting but I love it. As I watch tired teachers settle at their desks to begin their preparations for the next day, I wonder if they feel as I do, and I smile. They have to love it, otherwise how could we possibly get ready to do it all over again tomorrow?