Esther Navarrete Santos, BSEd ’16
Kindergarten
Hillcrest Professional Development School, Waco ISD

Thinking about my first year of teaching will always bring tears to my eyes. It was the most trying year of my life, professionally and personally. However, in the midst of stress, chaos, and exhaustion, I knew I was right to believe teaching is my calling.

Baylor SOE greatly prepared me to lead my own classroom of littles. I learned the best classroom management, a variety of instructional strategies, the importance of building relationships, and the possibility of sharing my faith with students through example. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t nervous my first day, but thanks to everything my professors and wonderful mentor, Emily, taught me I was able to create a comfortable learning environment.

While Baylor SOE did a marvelous job preparing me in those aspects, there was a shock that came with all the extra tasks that happened when teaching was done for the day. I was in a panic for the first couple months because of paperwork that I didn’t quite understand how to complete. Thankfully I realized IT IS OKAY TO ASK QUESTIONS. Once I got the hang of it all, I was able to return my focus to the most important part of my job – the students.

There were two difficult situations that happened in my personal life that made this first year trying. The first was my dad needing open heart surgery right after spring break. It was scheduled on the same date as picture day . . . in Dallas. My heart was torn about wanting to have my first-ever class picture and needing to be with my family. Long story short, I drove approximately 270 miles that day to make it to both. Thankfully my dad’s surgery went miraculously well. When I returned to school I found a book from all of my students on my desk. Their scribbled words were the greatest gift I have ever received. It filled my heart with joy for them and for teaching.

The second was that my paternal grandmother, who inspired me to become a teacher, passed away about a week after my dad’s surgery. Again, my students flooded me with love and kind words that overflowed my heart. Coming back after her memorial service was painful, but my students were so sweet it made it a thousand times more bearable. They made me laugh, wrote me notes, and showed me how to enjoy little things every day.

My first year was not easy, but I wouldn’t change anything about it. Those little kids taught me about as much, if not more, than what I taught them. It was a learning experience and I can’t wait to continue growing as the years go on.