It Feels Like Home

One of the schools that I have been working at the past few weeks has stood out from the rest. It feels like I have 'come home'.

The staff are incredible. Sitting in the coffee room feels like I'm sitting in the kitchen of one of my family members - with sisters, cousins and friends of the family milling about.

The way everyone pulls in and works together is like a well oiled machine. The give, the take, the yin, the yang. It all 'works'.

The students are the kids that are a result of this 'family'. Individuals. They are what bring us all together.

It is simply easy to work in this atmosphere. There is little fear of failure, as it a well accepted fact that no one is perfect; mistakes happen; and encouraging words are generously dispersed.

I have seen and felt this at most every school that I have worked at since I started working as a substitute. Why does this school stand out from the rest?

A little bit, because the secretary that I work with is very much like a good friend of mine. I feel like I know her. She has all of the qualities that I admire in this friend.

Then, there is the fact that people from different facets of my life keep showing up at this school. A young girl from the dance studio is a student at this school. A parent that I used to babysit for, came to do some work at the school. Phone calls from staff at the school that I worked at for a few months. My 'room-mate' from our dance competition appeared yesterday (her last day at her nursing work practicum) and one of the staff that I admired from my first school came by yesterday. This school was her previous 'home' ...

Home. That is how I feel at this school. I wish they would adopt me.