Blessed Beyond Measures

Each day I find many blessings in my life. Each day I am reminded of the greatness and the faithfulness of a blessed life that I am given. Today I was reminded of one of the greatest blessings of my life. Today marked an ending of one journey and a beginning of a new journey. Today, was the day I had to turn in my 'teacher badge' at Kennard-Dale. Today was the day I had been wishing for, for months. But as today came and went, I found myself wishing it was any day but today.

When I began this journey, I was scared to student teach. Actually I was terrified to student teach. But I knew I was given this dream for a reason and I had to see it through. And today was the day I realized why I needed to be an agriculture teacher. I have the opportunity to change lives, to bless others through my teaching. But most importantly I realized, I am the one being blessed. Our students think I am here to teach them (and I am) but they are actually teaching me. They are a blessing to me.

Throughout these past 15 weeks I have cried many times. I cried in school after a lesson went bad, I have cried to my cooperating teacher because I didn't know what the ceca does in an avian digestive system, and I have cried to Richie because I just wanted to come home. Today, I cried the entire way home, because I had to say "I'll be back soon" to Ms. Smith and our kids.

I have learned so much from Ms. Smith and our kids through this experience. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone teaching about animals that I really am afraid of (birds). I learned information I honestly never knew about the muscular system. I learned so much content just from teaching it to our students. I learned how to create various assessments and how to make learning fun through various hands on laboratory experiments (lots of food labs). The most important thing I learned was from our students. They made me realize how much I love teaching.

As I reflect on this week, and all that Ms. Smith did to make this week special for me, I am so blessed. I am thankful for my faculty family at Kennard-Dale and for all their support. My heart was over joyed with love as I received well wishes and hugs from our faculty. I am so thankful to be a part of a great faculty.

And as I read the notes that our students wrote for me, and look at the pictures from today I feel complete. I feel complete in knowing I touched a few lives and hopefully made them a little better. I feel proud. I'm proud of how far I have grown as an individual and as a teacher. I'm proud of the student that Ms. Smith and I have at Kennard-Dale and for the partnership that Ms. Smith and I have in our classroom. I feel fortunate for the forever family I have at Kennard-Dale.

As today draws to an end, I am sad and happy all the same. An experience that I at one point in time wanted to be over four months ago, I now wish it would not end and I can walk back into Ms. Smith and I's classroom with our students on Monday morning.

But, Monday will be a new day, as I finish my college career with a post internship seminar and gear up for graduation in two weeks. Monday will be a new day at Kennard-Dale and our kids will do just fine, I know, but I will be missing them like crazy and I will miss spending every day with my hero and speed walking every where with her.

As I told our students and Ms. Smith today and as I tell myself this tonight, it's going to be okay because "I'll be back soon".

"Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead" 1 Peter 1:16

~Ms. Jenna Timmons
Kennard-Dale High School
Agricultural Education