Do you know that breathtakingly beautiful and poignantly bittersweet moment when you've suddenly realized how quickly something went by because you loved it so much? That is how I feel about this summer. I have loved working as a teacher at a summer camp this summer. I've loved the field trips, the snacks, the crafts, the activities, and most importantly, the kids. There may have been moments of annoyance, minutes of exasperation, and seconds of vexation, but they have been few and far between. The majority of my summer has been filled with smiles, laughter, and interactions that will fill my anecdote repertoire for years to come. From a teacher's perspective, these past few months have been worth it, because they made the summer extraordinary.
Do you know that feeling that you have when you look back on the relationship you've had with someone from the first time you met (when you couldn't pronounce their name) until where it is now? That is how I feel looking back on all that I've learned about the children I've worked with this summer. I met them for the first time a little over three months ago, and now I feel as if some of them could be my own children. Several of them even asked if there was room in my dorm for them to come with me. I may have had to call them down, sit them in silent lunch a time or two, or even send them down to the office, but the group hug I received when it was time for me to leave for the last time told me that I would not be remembered for those times. I, for one, will remember the times I helped them make the other teachers laugh, the times we learned new things together, and the times that they hugged me and told me how much they loved me. From a teacher's perspective, these past few months have been worth it, because of every minute of love.
Do you know that moment of realization you feel after you discover that you've unconsciously learned a great deal of information that will help you in the future? That is the moment I experienced after leaving summer camp on my final day of work. Unintentionally, I learned so much this summer that will help me as I continue in my education classes in college and as I go into the classroom for student teaching placements. Every time I interacted with the students and they interacted with me, they were teaching me. They taught me how to handle complaining, how to command respect, how to find a balance between being a fun teacher and being a strict teacher, and how to love students more than I would've thought I could. From a teacher's perspective, these past few months have been worth it, because they have turned me into the teacher I am.
