Perspective

I've been told that after doing something for two weeks, it turns into a habit. Take not working out for example...(what is my obsession with this lately? Can you tell I haven't been doing it and feel guilty?)...after not exercising for quite awhile, you get into the habit of being lazy and don't have much motivation to get off your butt and move.  But once you finally realize that it's time, and more importantly, you get the energy to do so, the chances that you will suddenly change the way you think about the dreaded  'E-word' are pretty good. 
This post isn't about exercise.  I mean, after reading the post before this one, yes, it absolutely should be, but it's not.  Instead, it's about the other thing that has been taking up a lot of my time lately other than the cooking and the little ladies. 
After being at home with the girls for over a year, it was time for me to find something to do.  TOH's schedule had changed and it allowed me some free time in the afternoons and evenings.  So, to help keep up the old resume, my choice was to do some after-school tutoring.  I thought it would be easy, low-key, and something that would kick-start the 'teacher-brain' again.  And luckily, I found it to be all of the above...and more...
Before deciding to stay home with the girls, I taught for nine years.  That included Special Ed. (elementary, middle school, and high school) and a year of plain old, regular 2nd grade.  I saw a lot.  I taught at low-income schools, schools where a large majority of the population were farmers, and schools were kids were like the students on 90210.  Wow, dated myself on that one.  I was always the teacher.  I worked with the students for the 7 hours they were in school, assigned the homework, corrected the tests, and gave the feedback to the parents.  As a teacher, you always picture what it's like at home for each student, and you may know their parents and what their house looks like from the exterior, but you don't usually get the opportunity to really see how it 'works' on the inside each and every day. 
Being a tutor is eye-opening.  It's like nothing I would have ever imagined.  The company that I work for provides in-home tutoring and it has been a real game-changer for me.  I now see the students in their element..the ins and outs of their days..what they deal with each afternoon when they leave that school building.  Some don't get home until 6:00 at night.  Some have eight to ten people living in their home. I now understand why homework doesn't get finished, why it gets lost, why some students aren't prepared for the test, and why some come to school exhausted and hungry. 
This has been a life-lesson for me.  The perspective I have gained is invaluable. When I do return to the classroom as the teacher again, I will be different.  All of those little scenarios will be considered a bit more and I will be putting a little more heart into that 'picture' I have of each of my students.