I love teaching, but it gets exhausting wondering if what I am doing has any impact. Often, I think that it doesn't, and all these kids go about their lives in the exact same way they might even if I never entered it. Today, though, I realized that there may be some kids out there who actually have been impacted by what I did/do.
The SCA had a project that involved passing out paper turkeys to study blocks and asking students to address them to teachers who made a difference. They collected them and gave them out to us today. It was touching to read the comments students made, ranging from "You're cool" to "You're a really great teacher and I love English because of your class freshman year." Of course, they all came from students who I taught/am teaching during their freshman year, so I think that makes a difference.
Any way I look at it, I made some kind of difference to some kids. It's good to feel appreciated and useful, especially in a career that frequently seems to be unrewarded and looked down upon by many.
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