How my Clothing Sparks Conversation as a Grade 1 Teacher

I’m a grade 1 teacher and man, I can promise anyone that without God, I would be lost in confusion about why I put myself through the things I do. By no means is anyone’s job “easy”. We all have our hardships, every day. However it takes a special kind of person to teach children and I feel that God calls me to do that every day. 

In one day of teaching 6 year olds, I feel a large range of emotions. One minute I am stressed, and then I am laughing hysterically. Next I’m on the verge of tears, then I find a satisfying reason to smile. Through the ups and downs of this day-to-day lifestyle, God reminds me of the importance of why I do what I do.

I truly feel like I learn from the grade 1 students every day. Not only as a teacher, but as a person who is living through new experiences in their 20s. I had a quick, casual interaction with a student yesterday and it made me put everything into perspective, whether they meant to do that or not.

I said, "I don't like rain." 

The student replied right away saying, "Do you like flowers?"

"Yes", I responded.

"Then you need to let it rain sometimes", they said.

Although this student could have been speaking literally, they reminded me that the hardest things to do in your life often lead to the best outcome. Growth can be hard. We each face adversity, surprises and hardships throughout our lives. But it's about deciding that the rain in your life (the challenges and obstacles) is really just opportunities. The idea of blossoming, like a flower, is a beautiful thing. It's so good to know that though at times we may feel defeated, we are these beautiful beings in this one life, destined for growth. Without rain, there are no flowers. So maybe you too could benefit from the response I received from a young mind...

The whole idea of seeing the beauty in the hardest of times has everything to fo with trusting God. I have spent my whole four years in university, and my time so far as being a teacher reminding myself that God has a plan. When things feel like they’re coming together, I thank him. But when things are fuzzy, doubt starts to cloud my vision – when it starts to rain – that is when I remember that God has a plan. This isn’t something you can just tell yourself. You need to believe it. So when my head is aching, my stress is running high and I just don’t feel like I can stand my day of work anymore, I need to remind myself that the rain will stop. God called me to this position and whatever it entails is what he’s asked of me. Without that rain, there are no flowers. Gods plan is something greater than beauty. Believe it, allow it and trust it.

More specifically to my job, I know these children were put into my life for some reason. The downside might be the hours of planning and extracurricular. It could be frustration and feelings of concern for a child. But one thing I can’t lose sight of are the things they can teach me. They remind me how pure a human is when they are young. How something that an adult may become infuriated over, really isn’t worth the energy. They remind me that in every unplanned or disappointing scenario, there is something to be thankful for. It’s important to remember in your day-to-day lives that there is a reason for everything. Every thought or interaction you have may have some value. Similar to the reminders I get from my students every day, I went for a coffee with some coworkers on the weekend. I wore one of my favourite T-shirts from God the Father Apparel. The verse on my shirt read, “ Do not fear, for I am with you”. They were first intrigued at where I found a shirt like this, but then we proceeded to break down this Bible verse and discuss about it. Like I said before, every interaction has beauty and value if you look for it, and I believe that by choosing to wear my God the Father shirt to coffee had a reason of its own. It sparked a wholesome conversation about God with my coworkers. 

I am so incredibly grateful for the students and fellow coworkers I get to spend time with every day. May God continue to bless them with curiosity, compassion and resilience. For the adults who are confused at what their calling may be, or are unsure of what their present/future life holds, trust and never stop talking about Him. I call you to action by wearing a Few are Chosen T-shirt from God the Father Apparel. This shirt states that “[one must] not fear, for [He] is with you, do not be dismayed for [He] is your God”. As a Christian, or any human being for that matter, you deserve to be reminded by this every day.