This semester, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to be a student teacher at Palmetto High School in Williamston, South Carolina. This experience was packed full of ups and downs, but in the end I bawled like a baby on the way home from my last day. Goodbyes are hard, and there are a bunch coming my way in this next week, but these goodbyes with my loving students and teachers were some of the hardest!
Coming into this semester, I was a little “over” teaching. I had my heart set on mission work. I had been accepted to the World Race in the first weeks of my teaching, so I had already decided that I was just ready to move on to my next phase of life. My first few weeks were fairly difficult. I was completely overwhelmed, and I wasn’t feeling like I was doing a great job as a teacher because I was intimidated. Throughout the semester, God broke my heart continuously for every single one of my students. I prayed for them almost every day as I made my 30 minute commute to school. I tried to love them in the most tangible ways I could think of. I learned about their stories, their struggles, their joys, and even their funny moments. I slowly fell in love with the life of a teacher.
I truly do believe that God picked out my school, my cooperating teacher, and even my God-fearing supervisor with the intentions of showing his love and purpose for my life. He put me in an environment that challenged and supported me. I had to wrestle with the idea of teaching versus missions, and I had to figure out what kind of teacher I would like to be in the classroom. I thought I had to figure out what I was going to do for the rest of my life. It was scary.
As I reflect on this student teaching experience, I realize that I didn’t really have to “figure my life out” this semester, I just had to dwell in the little joys that I kept encountering in the classroom. I had to celebrate the little successes that my students were having with their work. I had to go the extra mile and chase after some students who weren’t turning their work in. I had to stay late some days while students took tests or vented about whatever was troubling them. I just had to be there. Little did I realize that the students would return the gesture. My students held parties for me to say goodbye and some students even bought my tshirts to support my trip!
Every step of the way, God continues to show His faithfulness in every area of my life that I hand over to him. I remember praying for my student teaching over Christmas break and anxiously imagining myself as a teacher. I remember stepping into that classroom for the first time with fears of what was to come. Ultimately, I gave this area to God, and I prayed my way through it and He showed up big time. He gave me a loving and supporting environment to begin my teaching career and amazing students to support me in my next steps.
Praise be to the God who handles everything perfectly when we trust Him!
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Now to show off some pictures of my sweet students!!!
I’ve loved working with every single one of these students this year! Every single one has a special place in my heart!
They even made me a punny chemistry cake because they know I love a good chemistry joke! (Ar is the chemical symbol for Argon!)
All in all, this semester was pretty great, and these students are pretty great too (:
Much love and go Mustangs!
Jordie
