Thanksgiving, Part 2
Reason #4 I am thankful....
My students aka "My babies." I love them like family. We have an intense relationship that involves me trying to mold them into little scholars and leaders of the future and them trying to buck my attempts in various ways. It’s a love-hate relationship. But mostly love. When it’s time for a break, I become melancholy thinking about what their futures might hold. When this happens, I try to remind myself of what their future can hold, and what I can do to increase the chances that good things will happen for them. I am successfully turning them into nerds of the same mold as myself. During Aden’s recent trip, he was able to witness a spontaneous “math-a-thon,” or in other words a time my students decided they wanted to work their butts off doing math problem after problem basically until I set a time limit. I love it when this happens. Similar read-a-thons occur about once a week, and I usually throw whatever lesson plans I have to the wind and let them read because man, if they can develop a love for reading, that’s half the academic battle for these kids who think they are “bad” at reading and writing. Recently, it’s been the Magic Treehouse book series- which is awesome, because they are hooked, and that’s almost 40 books they can read! Books on CD have changed my life.
Aden’s visit was great. He played basketball with the boys, earning some major street cred for both himself and me. White men can jump! They were pretty impressed that he used to be able to dunk. He also learned how to dance from the best teachers for this subject- my 8 students who were present last Friday. He showed them up with the Macarena, which is randomly one of their favorite dances. Several fun videos depicting my brother successfully, and not so successfully, dancing like a 13 year old Louisianan child. Priceless.
I am continuing to bond with my kids in various ways- Darryl Royal still has a firm grip on my heart for child I would adopt at record speed (although the PE teacher Ms. Scott claims she would give me a run for my money- he’s that amazing of a kid). My bond is so strong with this child that I actually seek him out for advice on how to help other kids, one time even getting choked up while discussing his best friend who is beginning to take the wrong path after overcoming many obstacles in the past few years. I worry about them so much, maybe too much. Nah, they need that worrying, at least until graduation rates go up and teenage pregnancy and crime rates go down.
I am definitely feeling the power this year of sticking around the same place for multiple years. I have a couple more years of New Orleans teaching left in me, I think. Come visit, my kids will love you for life! They regularly mention Karin, who visited in October, usually in the context of Monique asking “How is Karin?” and Lorne adding “Yeah, how is my baby?” Oh lord- with that child it’s a regular debate- do I ignore his ridiculous comments or call them out? Yikes.
One thing I am very proud about is my involvement at my school. I started a Student Council this year, and I am on the team that encourages positive behavior (PBS). The kids are loving our student council- they are planning events, having their voices heard and enjoying the power and freedom that comes with helping to run the school. It’s great to see!
My students aka "My babies." I love them like family. We have an intense relationship that involves me trying to mold them into little scholars and leaders of the future and them trying to buck my attempts in various ways. It’s a love-hate relationship. But mostly love. When it’s time for a break, I become melancholy thinking about what their futures might hold. When this happens, I try to remind myself of what their future can hold, and what I can do to increase the chances that good things will happen for them. I am successfully turning them into nerds of the same mold as myself. During Aden’s recent trip, he was able to witness a spontaneous “math-a-thon,” or in other words a time my students decided they wanted to work their butts off doing math problem after problem basically until I set a time limit. I love it when this happens. Similar read-a-thons occur about once a week, and I usually throw whatever lesson plans I have to the wind and let them read because man, if they can develop a love for reading, that’s half the academic battle for these kids who think they are “bad” at reading and writing. Recently, it’s been the Magic Treehouse book series- which is awesome, because they are hooked, and that’s almost 40 books they can read! Books on CD have changed my life.
Aden’s visit was great. He played basketball with the boys, earning some major street cred for both himself and me. White men can jump! They were pretty impressed that he used to be able to dunk. He also learned how to dance from the best teachers for this subject- my 8 students who were present last Friday. He showed them up with the Macarena, which is randomly one of their favorite dances. Several fun videos depicting my brother successfully, and not so successfully, dancing like a 13 year old Louisianan child. Priceless.
I am continuing to bond with my kids in various ways- Darryl Royal still has a firm grip on my heart for child I would adopt at record speed (although the PE teacher Ms. Scott claims she would give me a run for my money- he’s that amazing of a kid). My bond is so strong with this child that I actually seek him out for advice on how to help other kids, one time even getting choked up while discussing his best friend who is beginning to take the wrong path after overcoming many obstacles in the past few years. I worry about them so much, maybe too much. Nah, they need that worrying, at least until graduation rates go up and teenage pregnancy and crime rates go down.
I am definitely feeling the power this year of sticking around the same place for multiple years. I have a couple more years of New Orleans teaching left in me, I think. Come visit, my kids will love you for life! They regularly mention Karin, who visited in October, usually in the context of Monique asking “How is Karin?” and Lorne adding “Yeah, how is my baby?” Oh lord- with that child it’s a regular debate- do I ignore his ridiculous comments or call them out? Yikes.
One thing I am very proud about is my involvement at my school. I started a Student Council this year, and I am on the team that encourages positive behavior (PBS). The kids are loving our student council- they are planning events, having their voices heard and enjoying the power and freedom that comes with helping to run the school. It’s great to see!
posted by MissBliss at 2:26 PM
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