I was going into work this Tuesday morning trying to find a place to print my worksheets for the day. And then another teacher stopped me by the steps and told me about something really interesting she heard on my favorite radio station: the two radio hosts of my favorite shows shouted out a "Ryan Fan" for a letter I wrote in gratitude to the show last week.

As teachers, we usually address each other by our last names. The fellow teacher told me she looked at the attendance sheet and saw whether my first name was really Ryan, and it was confirmed. My two favorite radio shows, Dr. Kaye and Farajii Muhammad, shouted me out for nearly 20 minutes on my favorite radio show, WEAA. They read my entire letter to the show that I published previously, and Dr. Kaye, who was out sick on the day, called the show to put in a few words of appreciation. The two told me they would come to the classroom and visit the school.

Unfortunately, I'd gotten home by the time Farajii and Dr. Kaye shouted me out on their show. I didn't listen that Monday when I got the shoutout -- and as a result, I had to hear about the kind words from my two favorite radio show hosts. I checked back on their website frequently, and it wasn't until today that Monday's show was up, and I heard word for word the shoutout.

Words can't express how grateful I was to Farajii and Dr. Kaye. The fact that my article and words were not only appreciated, but read on the show, and that Dr. Kaye and Farajii want to go above and beyond in supporting me as a teacher means that the work put in and articulate on a daily basis has not gone unnoticed. Every day, I still struggle. A co-worker and I decompressed for a long time after school today about our difficulties and challenges in the classroom.

Today was the deadline for getting in grades. I had to write an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan). And yet hearing the shoutout broke me out of my trance and daily routine motions to stop and appreciate that God has used me to do some good. Sometimes it seems like my struggle is fruitless, that despite how much work I put in, the implementation of my lesson plans doesn't reach my kids as much as I want. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm teaching the kids anything at all.

But I know I'm doing my best to reach my kids by building relationships, and I know that from the perspective of kids' parents, teachers, administration, my church, and my teacher program, that work does not go unnoticed. WEAA reinforced that notion and gave me a reason to realize that I'm doing as well as I can, as best as I can, and that I really do care about my kids. It means that I really do love my kids, and that is why I donated to the radio show that gives me solace on my commute home anyways.

I still have a lot to do. I'll probably to shortchange some sleep, but I know that God put me here because that's where He wanted me. I have no idea what the future holds and what will come of the shoutout, but God sent me WEAA's shoutout to hear today to know that everything, from the good, the bad, and the ugly, are all meant for good.