Teaching More Than Math

If I hear "Ms. Cottingham" one more time I might scream!

Over the last 5 months or so I was a long term substitute teacher at an incredible middle school. I was in the same classroom everyday. I was the main teacher. Teaching is tough. If you are a teacher I want to say thank you and I don't know how you do it. You deserve a raise. Or three. There were days I wanted to strangle students (am I even allowed to say that?) days I was so so happy I did not go into teaching (thanks dad) and days where I absolutely loved it.

These kids want/need your constant attention. They always have something to say, stories to share with you or questions to ask. What they do not realize is that I am only one person. I cannot be in 14 places at once. It becomes very draining. I would get home from teaching all day and I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I wanted nothing to do with anyone. I did not want to hear my name or answer any more questions. I was wiped out. One day I came home and could not even keep my eyes open, I went to bed at 7:30pm. A year ago I was just making plans for the night at 7:30pm. Oh my how things have changed. Ha. 

Looking past the exhaustion, going beyond the dumb questions (I now believe in dumb questions haha) and the constant complaining I heard every minute of everyday, I decided I wanted to be a light in the little lives of these students for the one hour I had with them each day. 

Everyone has a story. Everybody has struggles. I wanted my classroom to be a happy, fun, and comfortable environment for my kids (yes I call them my kids). You never know whose life you may be influencing by just smiling or saying a simple hello. 

I was pretty positive some students did not like me. I'm very honest and say things how they are. Sometimes too honest. That didn't change in my classroom either. Oops...

I taught math. They could not use calculators for this specific assignment. I caught a student using her cell phone as a calculator. I politely asked her to put it away. She didn't. I took it and placed it on my desk. She tried being sneaky by taking her phone back three different times. After the third time I was tired if her sassy back talking I shouted "I may have one hand but I have two good eyes!" Her face was priceless. I thought for sure she wasn't a fan of me after that. 

It took me until the very last day of school to see how big of an impact I really did make on these students. I didn't do anything special. I didn't buy them things. I didn't try to be their best friend. It didn't bribe them to like me. I was just me. I knew God had me at this school for a specific reason even though I didn't know what it was, I knew I was not there by mistake. On the last day of school I received notecards from a handful of students. The notecards said something like this..

"You're my favorite teacher" 

"Thanks for being nice to us and tolerating all of us"

"Thank you for helping me with my math" 

"You're funny and caring thanks for all you did for me" 

But there was one notecard that caught my eye...

"Ms. Cottingham, you have inspired me on trying my best in everything that I do. You have showed me that no matter how hard things get in life they are not impossible. You have also showed me that I can do anything I set my mind to. Please know you are my BIGGEST inspiration. Thank you :)" 

Listening to students complain about worksheets, repeating myself 50 times because they did not listen to the first 49 and wanting to strangle a few ;) my time was worth it. I was able to touch one life specifically. I showered them with God's love. I encouraged them to never give up. I hope those students walked out of my classroom knowing they have worth, purpose and that they are loved.  

If there is uncertainty in a specific area of your life, you are unsure if you are in the right place, or doing the right thing.. I can say with confidence that God has you in the exact place you are supposed to be. Even when it doesn't feel that way you are right where you are meant to be. God is a great and powerful God and He wants you to trust Him and His plans for you. He will work all things together for good. 

Even in your uncertainty you never know who might hand you a notecard... 

 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" Romans 8:28