Making Waves

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6  As this current school year is winding down and the pace of things have eased, I’ve had some much-needed quiet time to be still and reflect on my third year as an English educator. And if I could describe this recent school year in one word, that word would be challenging . I’ve often heard that the first year of teaching is the most stressful, and to my surprise, that wasn’t the case for me at all – even when I happened to be juggling grad school and teaching full time my first year. I also have the distinction of working in a Title 1 middle school which primarily consists of working with a demographic of students who are often struggling learners and come from low-income households.  Before accepting the position to teach, I was warned of the challenges that can come with working in a Title 1 middle school with students who don’t have stable (or always safe) living