When I got to "work" yesterday, (I call it "work" because, really, I love it too much for it to be considered a "job"), the kids were outside playing on the playground. On Wednesdays, they have early release at 1, and I have my own classes til 2 so I go in after that. Anywho, they were on the playground playing and having a grand ol time being kids.
On every other day of the week, I go in before school gets out and I set up the gym with tables and other stuff. When they get out of class, most days, they're supposed to do homework if they have it, and read if they don't have homework. This only lasts for about a half an hour, then we go outside. I swear to you, they think the first half hour is torture for them. I feel like I'm constantly telling them that it's homework and reading time every 5 minutes. The older ones are generally pretty good at being quite and doing their thing. But the younger ones, man. The kindergartners are a rough crowd. I've been working on teaching them how to read (and most of them are pretty good readers by now). But when you have 7, 5 year olds to teach how to read in a group, it's hard to keep their focus on you and not each other. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching them how to read, and everything about this job, but sometimes... sometimes it's hard.
Anyway, my point is that yesterday, when I walked onto the playground, it just put the biggest smile on my face. They were having so much, care free, fun. And then, when they finally noticed I'd gotten there, a handful of them ran up to me in excitement, and gave me a big group hug.
Moments like that make the tough times worth it.
