For THOSE Days

As teachers, we all have THOSE days.  You know, the ones that make you want to bang your head on your desk, cry uncontrollably, or tempt you to turn in your resignation letter.  Those days where you question why in the world you ever thought you could teach.  Don't worry, we all have those days.  And if you are new to teaching, those days will (unfortunately) come.

I happened to have an awesome cooperating teacher for my student teaching experience, and of the myriad things she taught me, this one little tip has helped me over and over again.  Ms. P, you probably will never read this, but thank you.

Ms. P suggested I start collecting all those little notes from students, parents, administrators into a binder.  I opt to call it my Warm Fuzzies binder.  Whenever I find a little note on my desk, a grateful email, or a hand-drawn picture, I keep it.  I put it in a plastic sleeve and I place it in my Warm Fuzzies binder.

Over the years, this has become more than one binder, but I still go back and look at some of the original notes written by my very first students that semester of student teaching.  There's nothing that warms this teacher's heart more than re-reading notes like the one from a particularly shy student saying, "Thank you for believing in me when I didn't believe in myself."  I tear up every time.

So here's a look at my original Warm Fuzzies Binder.  I suggest you make one for yourself.  You won't regret it!

**My name and the names of students, parents, etc. have been smudged to protect identities.

If you do something like my Warm Fuzzies binder, please share your idea!