Simple Minded

I was once told by someone that I was "simple minded". By my lack of response they quickly tried to follow up with how it was not a bad thing. I remember sitting there and trying to let it just fly away as an off hand comment. The only problem was, this was said by someone who was near and dear to me. This comment could not and would not just fly away as I wanted it to.

Now, even months later I still hear those words sometimes.

This week I had two observations by my teachers while I taught lessons. Not to toot my own horn, but *toot!* I received glowing reviews from both of them. From my Elementary PE teacher she told me my lesson plan was phenomenal. She told me that it was obvious I had taken time to think about the students' needs. She said I had studied each physical developmental level with great care. For my Early Field observation, my teacher came to see me teach my Kindergarten class. I taught about rain and rain clouds and the letter "r". I did an experiment with shaving cream, water, and blue food dye. The food dye was diluted and represented the build up of water particles in the clouds (the shaving cream) and I scooped it onto the shaving cream and we watched as eventually the clouds became saturated and "rained" into our bowl of water. It was neat! The kids really grasped on to it and enjoyed later coloring a cloud and filling in raindrops with the letter "r" to practice writing. My teacher gave me the biggest smile as she slipped away after observing my lesson. I felt like I was on a cloud!  As I was about to leave, my head teacher of the Kindergarten class I work in came up to me and said "she had nothing but great things to say about you! She loved the lesson." This made me feel...like you wouldn't believe. I had done something amazing. I had taught these children! I had applied how to make an effective lesson plan, how to teach to my students needs and I taught a great lesson!

So maybe I can't sit there and discuss meticulously literature that I have never read before or I can't talk about the inner workings of computers and the hidden messages of Shakespeare but what I am learning about right now is for me. I am learning how to teach children. I am learning and studying how to take someone who should be reading at a third grade level but is at the end of Kindergarten year to be where they need to be. I am learning how to recognize if a child cannot hear the sounds letters make and what the next step is. I am learning how to help a 5 year old remember what the letter 'A' is and that for now it makes the "ah" sound and one day it will make about four other sounds. I am learning how to inspire young minds to reach out and learn more than they thought they could. I am opening their minds to see that if they work hard they can be a doctor, a scientist, a teacher, a librarian, a mechanic, a nurse, or an architect. If they don't want to be any of those, who cares! I can encourage their curiosity to try other careers and explore their talents. I am learning how to take a subject the child may have once dreaded and shed a new light on it so that a child will look at it and think- "yes, I can do this! I am capable and smart!"

I've decided that I don't care if I am simple minded according to some people. This mind is learning how to make a difference. This mind is stretching for ways to influence. This mind wants to take every day things and make them extraordinary.So I find joy in purchasing the fruit that I love. I find joy in stepping on crunchy leaves, in the laughter of a group of friends, and in someone holding the door open for me. I find joy in quoting movies, in staying up too late, in a cool breeze, in a funny youtube video, in playing video games and in making new friends. I also find joy in learning about Fred Jones and Spencer Kagan. I think that Jim Fay is amazing and I think that Andre Derain is inspiring.

I find joy in learning new things. I love to listen to others tell me about their interests and what excites them. Maybe that's why I don't seem like I have a whole lot to say. I enjoy listening to others. I get to know them that way. I get to experience their joys. I do share my life. I just share it in a different way. You have to be watching carefully to catch it. I often express through the written word.

 So, again, who cares if people think I am simple minded.
I am happy.
I am growing.
I am being inspired.