Teacher Appreciation Week is My NEW favorite holiday!

Ok not really, I still love Christmas.  But seriously, I can't believe how big of a deal Teacher Appreciation Week is!  Above is just the FOOD portion that I received today.  Unfortunately I had already organized and put away all the other items I got, so you can't see those fun things.

Jake is always in awe on any holiday, because I bring home so much swag. But if you notice, my loot consists of mostly one thing: CANDY.  Well, let me explain myself: 

 This year for Teacher Appreciation, the PTA sent around a flier asking us to list supplies and treats we love/need.  Being a first year teacher, I made the mistake of listing only a few things. I mean honestly, I couldn't really think of more than that.  So I listed Peanut Butter Cups, gummy bears, water bottle, and white out.  Well, my short list + 41 kids who adore their teacher=tons of wonderful things!

So there are some predictions I am going to make:

1.  Jake and I start gaining about 3 pounds a day 

2. I am going to eat a peanut butter cup milkshake everyday for breakfast

3. I will make a necklace out of the 6 pounds of gummy bears

4. Jake will get his first cavity and I will get my 4th, 5th, and 6th

Just kidding, those things will NOT happen.  Well, a Resees shake DOES sound pretty good....  But next year, I decided to list my grocery items on the PTA list, that way I won't have to go grocery shopping that week! Haha can you imagine what the parents would think if they had to buy milk, cereal, eggs, granola...  Yeah too bad I can't do that :-)

Anyway, we have had lots of fun activities before and after school for the teachers to enjoy, and tomorrow they are making us breakfast and then BBQing for lunch.  I am tellin' ya, I am shocked at how much they do for you.  It's so much.  

I am so grateful for the kids, parents, district, and PTA.  They all do SO MUCH for us. I know the salaries are not great (especially in Utah) but I have never really felt like I have too much to complain about (salary wise).  I mean, really. I have had ALOT of jobs and I have never been treated like this.  The District even PAYS me to take their classes.  I got over $800 dollars to start my classroom.  I also got some other huge bonus for something (I can't remember).  AND I get 3 months off each year, plus holidays and winter break/Spring break.  PLUS I get off at 4pm everyday.  I guess maybe since I have had other jobs, I can compare them to teaching.  And teaching is definitely my best and most favorite one.  I fit here.

Basically, I am very grateful to be a teacher and it's seriously the best job I have ever had. ON THE FLIP SIDE: I still know teachers should get paid more, and we for sure deserve A TON more respect from the community and government.  I mean seriously guys-in-suits, give me a break.  Some of the expectations they have of us are absolutely ridiculous.  And why can't people realize that education affects how we will be living in the far off future!?  We really should be investing SO MUCH more into our schools.  I don't even care if teachers get more money.  THE KIDS need it (school supplies, smaller class sizes=more one on one attention, etc) BLAH now I am getting all worked up so I will stop.

Bottom line, although teachers still are getting dumped on by our government, I LOVE TEACHING.  And you know what beats all that wonderful treatment, and what is the REAL reason I love teaching?  (all that stuff is just swag!)

-Watching children learn to READ and WRITE.  

-Being a ROLE model for kids who just want to be safe and feel loved.

-Being a PARENT (for 8 hrs a day) to 41 amazing kids who each have their own uniqueness

-Crying and Laughing with someone 20 years younger than me

-LEARNING from someone 20 years younger than me

-Sharing funny stories with their parents

-That "a-ha" moment when they are actually getting it

-a thousand other things.

I wouldn't trade any of those things for the world....