The first time I went to Kenya, I had the privilege of volunteering at a school. The students there called me “Teacher Rachel” and every day would greet me with a song that went “Good morning, good morning teacher, we are happy to see you teacher…” I was going into my senior year of college with high hopes for my teaching career ahead. It felt so validating to be viewed by the children and staff at the school as a full-fledged teacher. My “teacher brain” went into full gear and I began coming up with creative lessons I could teach the 3-6 year olds given the limited resources of the school. Despite some challenging moments, overall I enjoyed the time I spent with the teachers and students at the school.
After graduating, I spent 2 years teaching Kindergarten for the second-largest school district in Illinois. I struggled with classroom management and became exhausted by the countless demands upon a new teacher. The insanity of the district’s policy to fire all the new teachers and then rehire them made me feel undervalued. I got burned out. While contemplating what to do with my life this summer, I was offered two jobs teaching preschool. I also applied for the World Race. After much deliberation, I turned down both teaching positions to come on the Race.
When we arrived in Ecuador, I was excited to be placed at a school. On our first day there, they placed me in the preschool classroom (God has a sense of humor!') Within 2 days I was miserable. I was doing menial tasks and feeling like a student teacher with no creativity or control over the class. When left alone with the students, all my worst nightmares about teaching came flooding back to me. This was everything I hated about teaching, everything I ran away from. The students here also called me “Teacher Rachel” but I reached a breaking point of saying “If I am called ‘teacher’ one more time….
Thinking back to the students I have worked with in Kenya, in the United States, or here in Ecuador, despite every frustration, I can’t help but love them. I can’t help but care. My favorite moments in working with children are in forming relationships and showing love. My favorite aspects of teaching are in planning and creativity, reading stories, singing songs, playing games and seeing kids get excited about learning.
my preschool class here in Ecuador
If I had taught for the district again this year, this is the time of year I would be receiving my pink slip, my notification of being cut by the school district, and would once again be uncertain of my future. Having decided instead to come on the World Race, I am still uncertain of what my future will look like in 9 months and beyond. Part of me wants to have a plan, but I know God’s plans are so much better than my own. I do think I am called to work with children, I just don’t know to what capacity or in what context.
me and my buddy Abel
