Overwhelmed by Support

I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop with this now two-week old gig of mine. I figure that we're probably past the honeymoon period of getting to know each other. Frankly, it doesn't feel any different. I hesitate to say that I love going to work every day.

There are so many moments throughout the day that I think, "This is what teaching is about. This is why I changed careers." Moments like a low buzz heard around the room as table groups work together to figure out how to make quadrilaterals out of straws and twist ties (I don't remember learning the word quadrilateral until I was in high school. These kids are 3rd graders). Moments like receiving moans from the group when I break the news that I have to stop the read-aloud at the chapter's end. Moments like kids feeling safe enough to tell me things about their lives outside of school.

In the midst of trying to get caught up with currciulum that was not entirely in place before I arrived, I have received an overwhelming amount of support from parents, another third grade teacher, and the principal. Out of these, it's the parental support that has me in a bit of a tizzy.

There's two sides to this feeling. There's the side that in all of the previous teaching roles I've had, I have never had parental support. In fact, it was hard to even get a parent to call me back. That is, if their phone wasn't disconnected and I couldn't get through at all. And having parents to volunteer for things? Unheard of. Most, if not all of the parents, worked during the day, and if they didn't work, they had kids at home to take care of. I almost became used to this way of dealing with parents, almost thought that it was the norm.

And then there's my own neuroses. You see, I get a little nervous when I meet parents. Anyone's parents. I know you're thinking. I'm crazy. Don't worry, I know I'm crazy. I mean, who, in their thirty-something year of life is afraid to meet parents? Yep, that's me. When I was in my twenty-something year of life, I met Stein's parents for the first time. I almost made myself sick, I was so nervous. Sure, it was the girlfriend meeting the boyfriend's parents for the first time nervousness, but to me the scarier fact was that they were... gulp. parents. It didn't help that Shark, Stein's roommate at the time, made the wait before they arrived excruciatingly uncomfortable by making up stories about his parents and how mean they were.

Fast forward to my new gig. I get daily emails or visits from parents. Some inquiring about their little cherubs, some volunteering to help out with upcoming events, some stopping in to read with kids, do science presentations, or just introduce themselves. Given my experience with non-existent parental support, and my uneasy demeanor with parents in general, I have found this part of the job to be the most overwhelming and most difficult in accepting. I understand that it's silly. Again, I know that I'm crazy.

I have to say, that as difficult as it is or how overwhelming it may be to accept, it is so refreshing to have the support.