Wedding Planning

I sat beside a 23-year-old fifth grade teacher at summer staff development today.   One of my coworkers sat on my opposite side so we were catching up and I didn't pay much attention to my other tablemates at first. Then I heard a snippet of conversation from my other side as an exasperated voice said, "It was a rough first year."

At that, I turned and blurted, "They all are!"  She looked at me, wide-eyed, probably wondering why the weird middle-aged teacher felt the need to butt in so I looked her in the eye and repeated myself. "They all are.  All first years are rough.  Mine was so rough I quit."

"Really?" she asked.  I told her yes, really.  Then I said, "I thought I wanted to be a wedding planner." She laughed and said she'd been considering event planning herself.  What is it about first year that makes us feel like we'd rather deal with bridezillas than ten-year-olds?  In some ways, teaching isn't that different from wedding planning.  You've got moody, opinionated clients with their anxious yet well-meaning parents.  You've got to decorate, dress, and sketch out every detail...and smile no matter how far the people and circumstances around you veer from the plan.  And at the end of the day, all you really want is a drink.

However, as tempting as it may feel sometimes (especially at the end of that first year), wedding planning and teaching are not the same.  Those moody, opinionated clients?  We have the chance EVERY day to make their day--not just on one day.  Plus, their minds aren't all the way made up yet-- we get a chance to shape that.  We've got more important things to discuss with parents than timing and centerpieces as work together to find out what makes their child tick and who they really are at their core.  And yes, the plan rarely goes the way you want it to but unlike on a wedding, we get re-dos every single day.  There aren't many jobs that boast that opportunity.

I looked that girl in the eye today and spoke from my heart. "Just don't.  Don't quit.  You'll regret it."  As I encouraged her to stick it out, I felt like I was talking to a younger version of myself.  I wish I had listened to the people who tried to tell me, even though taking the long way did ultimately make me a better teacher and person.  It's always hard at first but it DOES get better.  I'm ten years worth of proof.

I closed with, "If it's in you, you can't run from it." She smiled and so did I, as a couple of other teachers nodded in agreement.  That, I know for a fact, because I tried.  I'm so thankful it doesn't work.