My Curious Job

Sadly, the recession has swept my library aide away in its wake and I'm going to need help this year to be able to stay on top of everything that needs to happen daily in the library. One of my childhood friends emailed me the other day and said there was an announcement made at church that help was needed at my school, including in the library. Knowing that I'm the library teacher, she emailed me and said she'd be willing to help for about an hour a week but she'd have to be careful about not missing too much work lest they think she is dispensable. In other words, she didn't want to jeopardize her own job in helping me with my job.

What a curious job I have. We teachers ask other people to leave their own jobs and other responsibilities to come and help us. When have I ever come and helped any of you do YOUR jobs? When have you ever asked me? I know one of my sisters-in-law has helped out in her son's school library. And many of you moms have probably helped with class parties at school, substituted, helped cut out things, put up bulletin boards, helped in class during centers or rotations, or in a myriad of other ways. But have you ever asked your children's teachers to help you out with your job?

I'm grateful for the thousands of adults who are willing to volunteer to make sure that schools are successful...especially since I am personally the recipient of that help. But I still think it's rather strange that mine is possibly one of the only jobs where people will leave their own jobs to come and help me do mine! It makes me think that schools are underfunded but people REFUSE to let them fail because of the lack of funding and are willing to step up and fill in the holes. People are amazing!