Title – I CAN Do It!

By – Kathryn Mullen

After I graduated from college in mid-year, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to be a second grade reading tutor at the same school where I had just finished my student teaching. I would be teaching the same students that I previously worked with during my student teaching. This made the transition from college student to “real teacher” a little easier than I had anticipated.

Throughout the 6 months that I spent with my second graders, my feelings changed constantly from day to day. There were days I’d leave school and feel content with the progress the students made that day; and days when I’d leave smiling remembering a joke a student shared with me. Then there were those times when I’d walk out of school questioning whether I should even be a teacher. I was afraid that the students weren’t learning anything from me; an after one exceptionally difficult day, I even sat in my car, in the school parking lot, and just starting crying. I remember doubting whether or not I could do this, thinking that maybe I really wasn’t meant to be a teacher.

I went home distraught and made a sign to hang in the classroom that said “

I CAN Do It!

” The next day many of my students complimented me on our new sign. I had been frequently telling them, “the word CAN’T is not allowed in my classroom,” so of course

they assumed it was a little reminder for them. They had no idea that the sign was also a reminder for me.


As the months went by, I found myself doubting my decision to be a teacher less and less. Whether it was a good day or a bad day, my students helped me realize that I was doing exactly what I was intended to do with my life. When the school year came to an end my feelings about leaving my students were bittersweet. I was so proud of them for all their progress and just as excited to see them move up to the third grade as they were, but I was sad to see them go. This was my first class as a “real teacher” which made these students extra special. I knew I’d never forget them, or how they unintentionally helped me feel confident in teaching. The last week of school I wrote a poem to my students. I framed the poem and gave it to each of my students.

I wanted them to always remember that they CAN do it and to never give up; especially since it’s because of these students, I now know that I CAN indeed do this.

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Kathryn Mullen

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