Really???

"Hey Miss, just thought you should know, you the only one that could ever get me to come to 1st period."

Really? Do you ever have these moments... when you wonder what on earth you did to make a difference in a kid's life? I think, of anything, my students know that I genuinely care about them! That I love coming to work to do my best to teach them, to help them reflect on their experiences, and help them prepare for their future. Bertrand Russell said, "No man can be a good teacher unless he has feelings of warm affection toward his pupils and a genuine desire to impart to them what he believes to be of value." I think that this is true. Teens can sense whether or not we are being genuine, whether or not we are happy to be there, whether or not we enjoy their presence. Every day I wake up with a smile on my face... or if not physically on my face, in my heart. I truly love my students and believe it a privilege to have the ability to teach. Perhaps that is what my student saw when he continued to come back to first period everyday... (or maybe there was just a cute girl in the class he like... I guess one will never know!) ;-)

Keeping a Positive Attitude

Sometimes, we are surprised by how things turn out. Yesterday, the first day back in my school building, I was surprised. I was given a different schedule than I anticipated, and learned of some challenges I would soon be facing. At first, I was thinking like: I only get to teach 2 Earth Science classes and now I have 3 US History classes, a class I have not taught. I have 4 different co-teachers, in 4 different classrooms on 4 different floors, and one self-contained class. So even though I only have 2 different subjects, I will basically have 5 separate preps. Whine, whine, whine, complain, complain, complain...

Now that I have had some time to actually think about my upcoming school year, rather than just react, I have started to think positively about the situation. Here is a list of all the great things I am looking forward to: (and I fully expect to come up with more to add to this list in the next weeks!)

• Because I'm teaching Juniors this year too, I get to have some of the same students I had last year again!
• I get to teach with 2 people I have never taught with before. I get to learn all their tricks and observe more experienced teachers.
• One of my coteachers is a dean... jackpot.
• I get to teach with my favorite co-teacher of all time once everyday!
• I will learn how to teach another subject, one of my favorites! (US History)
• I will get exercise.
• I get to teach. I get to interact with 5 classes of kids everyday.
• I get to fine tune my craft.

Anyway, trying to stay positive. Everything can be positive. Tomorrow I get to meet my students and see some of my former students. I am VERY excited!!!