CH 7. Heaven Sent

This past school year was just that... Heaven Sent, and don't get me wrong- I have had wonderful students in the past... I loved them all... but this group, my homeroom and even the other 60 kids I taught, were heaven sent kids.

I spent last summer(2010) preparing so much for being a fourth grade writing and science teacher. After all, my kids were going to take the Writing TAKS test for the first time. I was going to be their ONLY writing teacher. I was a little worried (I still had many students not using periods or capitalizing the letter "i" when it stood alone), but they did fantastic ;)

My homeroom bunch was a very special group. I didn't have one that was mean-hearted, or rude. They all literally cared for one another and helped each other out, which made my job a dream. I'll never forget when I was reading aloud to them, while waiting for buses to be called, and they started using the stuffed animals to put on a puppet show of the book I was reading. Completely spontaneous but it just captured my heart.

I had one little boy who really stole my heart. He doesn't have the best home life, and he was always truant to class. I finally made a house call (since none of the phone numbers worked) and had a conversation with mom. I told her if it was difficult to get him to school, then with her signed permission, I would bring him to school everyday. She gave me permission, and he and I started going to school together every morning. Sometimes when we got to school, he would ask me to sit with him on the carpet and check his homework, which I did of course. My homeroom knew that I picked him up, but I didn't treat him any differently than any of the others. Which they respected. I think they also knew it was in his best interest. No one showed any jealousy, or brought it up, or even discussed it. It was really a blessing.

It was by having this class, and this particular little boy, that I knew why God had me come back to elementary and specifically to the school I taught at. Then God led me to a split in the road.

I ran into my old District Science Coordinator who was now at a charter school in a town about 20 minutes south of mine. I ran into her at Wal-Mart... on Easter. She and I caught up in the produce department, and she started telling me that she had ALREADY mentioned me to her principal...that they had a science opening, and that I should call her principal and get an interview the following week (which was TAKS week of all weeks). Since she had already talked to her principal about me, I told her I would give him a call, but I wasn't really looking to move.

I met him that following Friday of TAKS week (I informed my principal of what I was doing) and he said he had a 5th grade Language Arts and a 6th grade Math/Science position, neither of which I was certified for. I let him know that if another teacher moved and he had an elementary opening, then I would be a great candidate. A week and a half later, he offered me the 6th grade math/science position.

I prayed about it and talked with my husband about it, and decided that God didn't place all these things into place for me to turn this position down. He had me leave the high school, only to place me in a position to where I would be noticed for my Science knowledge by my Coordinator. He led her to a charter school, and had me on her mind to where she mentioned me to her principal. He led her to Wal-Mart at the same time I was there on Easter...God did not plan and put this all into place to have me turn the job down. This was a God thing. So I accepted the position, and became certified 4-8 Generalist this summer.

If there is anything that I have learned from my experiences, it is that God's plan is not necessarily the plan I have in my head. But it is my duty as a believer, to trust in HIM and listen when he speaks to me.