Changes, part 1

I've changed since coming here because:

My attitude towards children. Today, after coming to school with me, Emily said to me "I'm so glad you like kids now." And its true. I have changed from referring to children under the age of 10 as "it" to a Mother Goose, Come-give-me-a-hug moosh! type person.

I think it would be impossible for this change not to come about. But I have to admit I was surprised at the magnitude and rapidity of my about-face where los niños are concerned. It seems that once I became comfortable with children, their weird questions and comments become endearing (I had one of my students say "My mother has a seed in her belly that will come out later as a baby and then I won't be the youngest" today). Their unconditional love is not so much a responsibility or trap as a mutual happiness in being together. Their different perspective of the world can be seen as individual, not a universal age-separator. As a good friend once said, I was not racist, I was kid-ist. And now I am no longer kid-ist.

It feels good to have that prejudice fall away.

The thing that surprises me most is how much I enjoy teaching, albeit I know I enjoy the virtues education classes I teach much more than English. The idea of finding an explanation that someone with the experiences, knowledge, and vocabulary of a particular age group, while also thinking of ways to plant seeds that will blossom into further understanding in time, is truly a challenge that I enjoy.* I like watching the learning process go on in the completely open face of a 6-year-old. I love the rush of joy that comes when a certain type of discipline or presentation of material just works, even for one kid. And I truly love the kids themselves. Individually. In classes. In school. When they see me outside of school and the next day tell all their friends as if they saw a celebrity. When I tell them they got a spelling bee word wrong and they burst into tears.

I like kids.

Wow.

*THIS BY NO MEANS SIGNIFIES THAT I WANT TO BE A TEACHER PROFESSIONALLY. I DON'T. I HAVE A HUGE RESPECT FOR TEACHERS. I'll just teach children's classes instead.