My FAVORITE Part of my Job *grin*

This time of year is interesting for this educator. The kids are EXCITED for the holidays, and I think the relaxation of last week made it a little difficult to get back into the routine this week. I did fine, but I will admit, I am looking forward to the break when I can sit and READ the books I got at the book fair last week!

With that being said, there was a moment today that made me *grin* ear-to-ear, and really made me excited for the young kids on my caseload that I will have for the next couple years.

I have a young man who works SO HARD at reading. Reading is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, challenging for him, and when I had him a couple years ago, I was honestly praying a lot at home for him quite a bit because I wasn't sure how to reach him as a reader. It seemed that everything I was trying two years ago wasn't working, and I was spinning my wheels. Thankfully, that isn't where I am today with that young man.

This young man, who I will call SUPERREADER, read over a hundred words in one minute on his fluency read!!! While this wasn't his first day to do that, today made a third time that he's done that, making me proud of this young man as it's clear this is a consistent thing and not a once in a while thing! Tonight I graded papers, and there was a lesson that I didn't get to work one-on-one with him in his workbook that goes with the series, and he made 100% on his comprehension of the text WITHOUT ME!!! I sat here and had a *grin* on my face. This has taken A LOT of hard work on SUPERREADER'S part, and I'm SOSOSOSOSOSOSO proud of him!

The even more entertaining part of it for me is that when I tell him how proud I am of him, it's not a big deal for him. It's almost as if he just believes that part of my job is to teach him to read, so it shouldn't be a big deal that he's learning to read. (And it's NOT just me, there are SO MANY people who have helped him get this far.) While that logic is a good one, I'll admit that teaching in a Learning Center means that sometimes I don't get to see the growth and fruit of my labor. Sometimes I set a good foundation, and the lightbulb comes on in Middle School & High School. So when I see growth like I'm seeing in SUPERREADER, I am reminded that teaching kids to read, (or be better readers if they can already read) is my favorite part of my job.

Taking a student from where this young man was, to this point, and imagining where he's headed, excites me in a way that I can't even explain. Ultimately, teaching reading is my FAVORITE part of my job!

So tonight I sit here and *grin* as I ponder where SUPERREADER is headed as a reader, and I thank God that He chose me to be in this student's path for this season. It's definitely something that I love, and can't wait for SUPERREADER to go from learning to read, to reading for enjoyment. That day is coming, and I can't wait to share it with him! *grin*

LIFE.
IS.
GREAT!!!