Dear teacher who feels like she is failing,

You're not.

And do you know how I know that? Because you care enough about what you do to FEEL like you are failing.

Believe me, I know how easy it is to feel that way.

I've lived the less than restful night, pulling into the school parking lot so early that it's still pitch black outside and even Starbucks isn't open yet... the panic over realizing that you didn't copy something you needed for the day and then the wasted 30 minutes fixing a paper jam while you silently curse yourself for not being as prepared as you should be...the jealous glances into other classrooms in your school full of pinterest-inspired organization, decorations, and projects that you covet and are constantly itching to try but somehow keep getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list... the "oh crap" moments when you notice your unfinished response to a parent's email that you started writing before school started in the morning... the disaster of a kitchen, empty fridge, and overflowing laundry baskets you force yourself to live with because you go home and work on school stuff all night until you exhaustedly fall asleep in front of your lesson plan book.

We teachers downplay all the incredible things we do for our students each and every day. Stop making yourself feel guilty for the toppling over stack of uncorrected papers sitting untouched on the table, or overflowing closet that requires a map for you to find anything. The time that the other teachers spent correcting their students' work, you spent making sure one of your students who is struggling in math felt good about his new math facts. The time that the other teachers spent filing and organizing, you spent listening to your students' stories about their dance recitals, softball games, and swimming practices.

Don't let the stress take your passion, don't let it make you forget why you're there.

For every person who complains to you or tells you you're doing something wrong, there's 5 students who know how to fill out a job application because YOU taught them how to read. You'll never know how deeply you've touched your students' lives.

Stay strong, teachers. You're NOT failing.