Closing Time

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end."

As a child of the 90's, a song that I heard on the radio hundreds of times growing up was "Closing Time" by SemiSonic. The line above is one of the more memorable lines from that song, and until very recently, I did not have much life experience that let me relate to that particular quote. A few years ago, I began my teaching career, but that wasn't really the end of a chapter of my life. It was me setting out on something wholly new and unexpected. But not the end of something I had previously set out to do.

Well, today is the end of a chapter in my life, and the start of something new. I began my teaching career at South Iredell High School, and my first year teaching was an incredible whirlwind of learning what in the heck I was doing, getting to know my kids, and figuring out what I wanted to do with the rest of my adult life. In some past blog posts, I have talked about the incredible adventures I had my first year teaching, like the time I did a poetry lecture and the kids actually enjoyed it, to my students helping me grieve for my grandfather who passed away. I have enjoyed every second of my time at South Iredell, where I learned so much about my self, and my kids, and where in life I want to go. I've discovered that the moment a child understands something, where a concept or theme clicks in there head, is one of the most precious, inspiring sights that a person can see. I have seen children at their lowest points and tried to reassure them that their goals are still attainable, and I have congratulated kids when they have reached the zenith of what they set out to accomplish. While on this crazy road, I learned a great deal about myself as a man, and the impact I can have on a kid who is just setting out on a journey of their own.

Sometimes I question the impact I have on my students, until I go out on the weekends grocery shopping, or to Target for things around the house. Without fail, I see one of my kids, and almost without exception, they are excited to see me. They scurry up to me, and we talk about school and sports, and exciting plans for the weekend. With a "See ya Monday," they run off, and I am left with a feeling of happiness and gratitude. I am happy because my kids obviously have a connection with me; I am grateful because the kids let me know what I am doing right. It means the world to me that my students enjoy speaking to me, spending time with me. I teach them english, and a few life lessons, but we teach each other what it means to be humans. How to care for one another, how to seek out other perspectives, how to pick up others when they are feeling low. If I leave any impact on a student, I hope it can be one that tells a kids that doing the right thing, and being a good human being , is always worth it. They will never regret being kind to someone. Hopefully, that is my legacy.

My career at South Iredell High School is ending. I am not sure what the future holds, but I am certain is includes me standing in front of a whiteboard, with a Robert Frost poem behind me, as I explain the significance of nuclear war in regards to "Fire and Ice." Teaching is what I am meant to do, and South Iredell has given me tools and experience that I will cherish the rest of my life. The wonderful people I work with, and great students I have taught, have left me with a strong foundation. It has been a joy teaching the last three years, and every minute has been a positive one for me when I have been at school. This chapter of my life is ending, but something else is beginning. Hopefully, it can measure up to the first three years of my teaching career.