Find the Child in You

So one of the things that I am hearing over and over throughout this MAT program is that to be a great teacher, you must find the child in you. How many of us find ourselves rushing out the door each morning with our black coffee in hand, briefcase, fancy outfit, low-calorie breakfast and the attitude that this is what it must be like to be a professional? Is it? I do not think so...In the teaching profession in particular, to connect to our students, we must have some sort of inner sense as to what its like to be a child again.Revert back to elementary school again. Think... What were your fears? What made you happy? What did you constantly worry about? Did your parents make a difference in your life? What kinds of friends did you cherish? What kind of people did you try and avoid? Interestingly enough, when I thought back to 2nd grade, I realized that the fears, worries, emotions, and interests that I had back then are still buried inside me today. Just like in elementary school, I am still afraid of change, I worry that people are not going to like me, I still worry about making my parents proud through my achievements, boys are still silly, I avoid people who use authoritative power to bring me down, I cherish good friends, and at night, I still worry that maybe I am not good enough.So remember that children are a lot like us. The only thing we have now that they do not is experience, knowledge, and the ability to help them grow. Just because we are expected to be professional does not mean we are expected to be dull. Have fun with life, and apply it to the classroom. Laugh, dress up, be silly, animate your words, adjust to change, find out what's cool, watch the Disney Channel, glance at the Billboard top 40, sing, dance, and remember...learning is SUPPOSED to be fun. Connect with the kids, find the child in you, and bring life to the classroom. Be a teacher to be remembered. Be different. Find the innocence in you, and leave your mark. Don't turn into the next Mr. or Miss "what was their name?" I don't know about you, but I think one of the best things about the this job is that we all get a chance to be famous.My goal is to be "Miss Lally, World's Greatest Teacher" Dream Big!xoxo