It’s All in a Smile

One of my college professors asked me to reflect on my first year of teaching and answer the question, what made it successful? I didn’t hesitate to answer.

“A smile,” I replied. A smile earned me trust. When my principal said, “You’ll be co-teaching reading and language arts with two veteran teachers,” a smile opened their doors.

When one of my students said, “I hate going to resource,” I smiled. She saw that I believed in her. And, at the end of a tiring, whirlwind type of day, I smiled to myself and said, “I am a teacher.”

Sara Puccetti