Saturday, August 27, 2011
A new school year, new lessons learned.
"Wait, did they have car's in 1950?"
"What's the capitol of Rhode Island?" "Washington DC"
"Isn't the capitol of Maryland Washington DC?"
All of these were said in my classroom by the same student. Why she thought Washington DC was the capitol of both Rhode Island and Maryland is still a mystery. And Why she was talking about history and geography in my English class is an even better question... or maybe the better question is why I wasn't surprised at these conversations when I have only met this student last week... Hmm points to ponder.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Sympathy
This post isn't a comedic one. It isn't something funny a student said or did. It isn't a stupid comment that made me ask if they really said that. Nothing like that. This post is for my own personal reflection.
Three months ago today my mom died. We found out she had cancer two months before that. To say I wasn't the best teacher during those few months would be a huge understatement. I was very distracted. I lost my temper easily. I was impatient. I lost assignments. I was not a very good teacher. I was so sick of these damn kids who cared nothing about this personal hell I was going through and only wanted me to grade their paper NOW! It was not a time where I could look at what I was doing in my classroom and say "Look at what I did! I rock!" No, it was me looking around saying to myself "What did I just do?"
I was walking on eggshells. Every time the secretary called into my room I was worried it would be to tell me I had a phone call, which is really pathetic since I always had my cell phone in my pocket turned on, ready to answer at a moments notice. I lived in fear for that one call that would tell me my mom was gone. It wasn't pretty.
Yet, even with all of that turmoil, there are some small things that I think of, and they touch me. I had one student stay after class to alphabetize assignments for me, and it wasn't because she needed to make up a tardy!I had other students volunteer to make copies for me, bring me in a Pepsi, organize books, or just ask what they could do. Just knowing that these people cared enough to not only put up with my very emotional days, but tried to make them better made it possible for me to go on.
One of the things that meant the most to me happened on my first day back after the funeral: a student brought me in a sympathy card. It was a very simple thing, yet it meant the world to me to know that this boy had been thinking of me enough to buy me a card, and carry it around with him until I came back. That simple card made my day so much better, and it made me stop wallowing in self-pity.
I learned one of my most valuable lessons at this time. Students are people, and they care about you. Even if you had to have a meeting with this student and his parents and the principal. Yes, even then. They still care.
Three months ago today my mom died. We found out she had cancer two months before that. To say I wasn't the best teacher during those few months would be a huge understatement. I was very distracted. I lost my temper easily. I was impatient. I lost assignments. I was not a very good teacher. I was so sick of these damn kids who cared nothing about this personal hell I was going through and only wanted me to grade their paper NOW! It was not a time where I could look at what I was doing in my classroom and say "Look at what I did! I rock!" No, it was me looking around saying to myself "What did I just do?"
I was walking on eggshells. Every time the secretary called into my room I was worried it would be to tell me I had a phone call, which is really pathetic since I always had my cell phone in my pocket turned on, ready to answer at a moments notice. I lived in fear for that one call that would tell me my mom was gone. It wasn't pretty.
Yet, even with all of that turmoil, there are some small things that I think of, and they touch me. I had one student stay after class to alphabetize assignments for me, and it wasn't because she needed to make up a tardy!I had other students volunteer to make copies for me, bring me in a Pepsi, organize books, or just ask what they could do. Just knowing that these people cared enough to not only put up with my very emotional days, but tried to make them better made it possible for me to go on.
One of the things that meant the most to me happened on my first day back after the funeral: a student brought me in a sympathy card. It was a very simple thing, yet it meant the world to me to know that this boy had been thinking of me enough to buy me a card, and carry it around with him until I came back. That simple card made my day so much better, and it made me stop wallowing in self-pity.
I learned one of my most valuable lessons at this time. Students are people, and they care about you. Even if you had to have a meeting with this student and his parents and the principal. Yes, even then. They still care.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
What's a pun?
A while ago, I had a student ask me what a pun was. Imagine my joy and excitement that this girl, who up to this point had not shown much interest in class, wanted to learn something. I couldn't help but ask her why?And this is what she said:
"I just got a text from _______ that said 'thanks for blowing me off last night, no pun intended' and I didn't know what it meant."
Well, just how do you respond to that? I chose to be that mature adult I am, and turned my back and laughed. While I was composing myself, another student explained why I was laughing to which the girl cried out, rather loudly too, "Oh (insert full name of boy she was texting)!" and that was it.
The next day, as she walked into the classroom, I told her I was *thisclose* to having my word of the day be pun in honor of her. I thought she would just laugh and be embarrassed. I was mistaken. Instead, she told me that she told the boy what had happened and that he was embarrassed.
I don't know which is worse, knowing what she was doing, or knowing she had no embarrassment at telling her teacher what she was doing. However, I am pretty sure I will never forget what a pun is, and neither will she. Lesson learned.
"I just got a text from _______ that said 'thanks for blowing me off last night, no pun intended' and I didn't know what it meant."
Well, just how do you respond to that? I chose to be that mature adult I am, and turned my back and laughed. While I was composing myself, another student explained why I was laughing to which the girl cried out, rather loudly too, "Oh (insert full name of boy she was texting)!" and that was it.
The next day, as she walked into the classroom, I told her I was *thisclose* to having my word of the day be pun in honor of her. I thought she would just laugh and be embarrassed. I was mistaken. Instead, she told me that she told the boy what had happened and that he was embarrassed.
I don't know which is worse, knowing what she was doing, or knowing she had no embarrassment at telling her teacher what she was doing. However, I am pretty sure I will never forget what a pun is, and neither will she. Lesson learned.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Erasers don't belong in noses
Yes, this lesson is just what it sounds like. I really didn't think I would have this lesson in a high school. I really thought this was something kids learned in elementary school, and got out of their system. It appears this one girl missed this lesson.
We were in the computer lab working on an assignment when this girl raised her hand. This was still fairly early in the school year, and I did not know her name yet. So I walked over to see what was going on and she said, "Mrs. D. my pencil eraser is stuck up my nose." I just looked at her in shock and said the first thing I thought, "Why is your pencil eraser up your nose?" Thus begins the lesson.
"I was bored and wanted to see f it would fit, but now it won't come out. It will come out right? You have kids, it will come out on it's own right?"
Yeah, ok, I do have kids. However, my kids never stuck anything up their noses... at least not that I know of. I thought fast and told her hold the other nostril closed and try blowing it out; I had heard that worked on some of my friends who have had this unfortunate experience. Alas, for this girl, that didn't work. She spent 2/3rds of the day trying to get this eraser out of her nose. It did finally come out several ours later. Yes, she came to me to show me that it came out. As for me, I spent the rest of the day laughing and came home telling my children to never put anything up their noses.
This lesson: Don't assume that just because people have some years behind them taht they learned all of the lessons they should have. Some people are, umm... special and need some extra time. From this I learned to be more patient, and also that a sense of humor is necessary.
We were in the computer lab working on an assignment when this girl raised her hand. This was still fairly early in the school year, and I did not know her name yet. So I walked over to see what was going on and she said, "Mrs. D. my pencil eraser is stuck up my nose." I just looked at her in shock and said the first thing I thought, "Why is your pencil eraser up your nose?" Thus begins the lesson.
"I was bored and wanted to see f it would fit, but now it won't come out. It will come out right? You have kids, it will come out on it's own right?"
Yeah, ok, I do have kids. However, my kids never stuck anything up their noses... at least not that I know of. I thought fast and told her hold the other nostril closed and try blowing it out; I had heard that worked on some of my friends who have had this unfortunate experience. Alas, for this girl, that didn't work. She spent 2/3rds of the day trying to get this eraser out of her nose. It did finally come out several ours later. Yes, she came to me to show me that it came out. As for me, I spent the rest of the day laughing and came home telling my children to never put anything up their noses.
This lesson: Don't assume that just because people have some years behind them taht they learned all of the lessons they should have. Some people are, umm... special and need some extra time. From this I learned to be more patient, and also that a sense of humor is necessary.
About me
So who am I? I am a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a granddaughter, cousin, aunt, sister-in-law, niece, neighbor, friend, and a teacher. I learn something in each of these relationships. When I wake in the morning in my husbands arms, I learn that I am loved and that I am capable of love. When my children ask for me, I learn I am needed. When my oldest daughter asks my advice, I learn that I have something to say and that she is listening. When I talk to my friends, I learn I am worthy of good friends. But when I enter my classroom, that is where the real learning begins. It is there I learn I am not as smart as I thought I was. It is there where I gain another title: student.
I teach high school English at a rural high school. I have always tried to explain to my students that I learn more from them than they will learn from me. It never ceases to amaze me the things these students have to share. Sure, some of the time they are funny, but they are also sad as well. Welcome to my classroom. Hope you enjoy.
I teach high school English at a rural high school. I have always tried to explain to my students that I learn more from them than they will learn from me. It never ceases to amaze me the things these students have to share. Sure, some of the time they are funny, but they are also sad as well. Welcome to my classroom. Hope you enjoy.
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