So, I've taught 4th grade for 14 years. Thirteen of those years were at the same school and in the same room that I stepped foot in on my very first day as a new teacher. Needless to say I was "comfortable". I loved my room! It had everything I needed and I knew where everything was. It was my second home. That is, until we got the news year before last that the schools in our area were going to be rezoning and just about every teacher would have to move somewhere. We would all have to move to either another room, or another school all together. I was very nervous, like most of the other teachers, about the move. I had never even had to move rooms in 13 years and now I was having to move to a totally different school. New school, new room, new principal, new co-workers, it was scary! I went from an intermediate school that housed only 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, to a K-6 school. Today, I can honestly say that it was the BEST thing that has happened to me in my teaching career. I LOVE my school, my co-workers, and our AMAZING administrative team.
I told you all of that to explain this. I would have NEVER even considered teaching any grade lower than 4th until I moved to my new school. I liked their independance that fourth graders had. I liked their ability to use a computer without help, and their ability to tie their own shoes and go to the restroom without assistance. As I watched the younger kids at my new school, my feelings began to change a little. I saw the younger kids walking through the halls, yes with their shoes untied and their shirts half tucked in, and began to understand what a clean slate they were. Now, don't get me wrong, I loved my 4th graders, but there was just a difference with the little ones that I was never really able to observe before. One day, right before spring break, my principal called me into his office and told me that he was going to have to shift some teachers around to accommodate the number of students moving up to each grade level the next school year. He asked me if I would be willing to move to a lower grade. Now, the timing of this question was very surreal, because this was something that had been weighing heavy on my heart for about 2 weeks. When I asked him how much lower he was talking about, he gave me a look and a smirk. This could only mean one thing...Kindergarten! I've found, at least in my personal experience, that teachers can become very comfortable with their teaching and sometimes that's not a good thing. I could teach 4th grade backwards with my eyes closed. I feel like sometimes we have to make ourselves uncomfortable in order to grow. My principal told me to think about it and if I didn't want to move, then I didn't have to. Needless to say, after a lot of praying, I told him that I wanted to be a Kindergarten teacher. So, here I am!! Am I ready for this? We shall see!! :)
