Lord, it is not a day or a week, but a season. It began even before the previous year ended, as I collected “maybe next year” dreams on sticky notes and Pinterest boards. It continued in the summer when I set aside time to put those ideas into action. Even now that the preparation is complete and we all—students, parents, and teachers—have been introduced, the newness lingers. Bless our beginning of the school year.
Grant me patience as I teach the routines and procedures that will be the foundation of safety and productivity every day that we’re together. Let me lean on my skills as a teacher to manage my class, trusting that when my students know better, they will do better. Renew my persistence daily, setting aside time to review and practice, even beyond the time when they first demonstrate success.
In the hustle to complete assessments, may I recognize the value of data to make intentional instructional decisions. Expand my view beyond the numbers. Give me a full picture of each child as a whole human, not the average of a spreadsheet column.
Perform a miracle on our paperwork, mighty God. I pray that parents can navigate the online system and submit accurate information. I pray that all students return their folders with the forms completed and signed. I pray that I find a way to keep track of it all so that deadlines are met, and I can get on with the business of teaching.
Open my eyes to those in need: The students who will say for weeks that they “forgot” their supplies, the first-year teacher whose desperate smile betrays the truth of her struggle, and the new members of our staff who are anxious to demonstrate their competence and may not speak their questions out loud.
Make me your servant, Lord.
Amen