As most of you know I have started a teaching job teaching 7th & 8th grade Art. The first week went amazingly well, the second week was hell and this week had it's ups and downs. Kids trying to argue, not listening, being disrespectful, telling me the wished they could go back to their other teacher or get out of my class or that they hated it. Kids breaking out in word fights and drama, drama, drama. Doubts started to creep in, wondering if this is what I should even be doing? Am I even cut out to be a teacher? I thought this was what I was called to do, but I felt as if nothing I was saying or doing was getting through to these kids at all... Am I doing things all wrong? Should I be more like the other teachers yelling and screaming at these kids every time they do something? I thought maybe me being there was more damaging to these students than beneficial...
A lot of questions have been running through my head these last few weeks and I lost track of why I became a teacher and why I was here with these kids. I let my want for comfort and ease get the best of me. I let the many bad things that were going on take over me, over the single good things that showed me what I did mattered. Because wether I may notice it or not these kids are constantly watching, watching what I do and what I say. That's why I am putting together this little list. A list of the little things this week that showed me that all that matters is that I reach one, even if it feels like everything I am doing is all wrong.
1.) The first time I noticed my actions were being noticed was while I was walking down the hall. A little girl that I had never had in class was walking down the hall. I smiled at her and she said, "Miss, whenever I see you you are always smiling." I laughed and said, "Is that a bad thing or a good thing?" She answered with, "It's a good thing." and went into her classroom.
Sometimes what we do comes so natural to us that we forget that those little things may make all the difference to someone else.
2.) My second favorite was with this kid who, once put into my class, did absolutely nothing. I thought I had forgotten to put his grades in because there was nothing in the computer for him. He would either come to class and draw on his self or he would put his head down and sleep. Every time I tried to talk to him he wouldn't answer. At first I started trying to coax him into doing something, then it turned into giving him the choice to work or consequences will be given, but I then I felt that with him that would be taking a hundred steps backward rather than a step forward. So each day I made it a point to say hi every time I saw him and ask him how his day was going. He never answered me... but I kept it up. In my classroom I get the luxury of going around the room and sitting down with my students and getting to know them while they work and I work. One day I sat down by this particular student and asked him what he would like to do when he got older. He answered with, "A video game designer." So I chatted with him about it and told him how awesome that was and asked him about his favorite games, etc. and told him about how school would help him reach his dream. He didn't talk to me this whole part of the time, but I knew he could hear me. After I went off to help another student he raised his hand and said, "Miss come here I have a question for you." So I went over and he asked me about some classes he should maybe take. Break through!!! He has now been slowly doing work and I am so excited for him
: )!
3.) My most favorite moment this week was on Thursday. There were these two kids in the other art teachers class that were in special Ed. Instead of having them work on the projects the other kids did the other teacher just let them do their own thing and color. I knew that letting them do whatever wasn't helping them with anything and makes it seem as if they are not apart of the class. So I would go over each day and work with them. The boy would start to get out his stuff on his own and come up to me to help him start. I would help him start the project and then leave him to finish the rest. Well, he stayed in that classroom when I left, but every time in the hallway he will come by and give me a quick hug, because he doesn't really like to talk. Well Thursday morning was a rough start and as I was leaving my classroom, this little boy came up to me and gave me the biggest hug and held on for dear life for the longest time : ). That my dear friends is the best feeling ever. That was the best hug I have ever received in my life...and a tear jerker I would say.
Funniest quotes:
1.) Me- "Your too young to date."
Student- "Do you have a boyfriend."
Me- "No."
Student- "How old are you?"
Me- "23"
Student- "Well your too old not to date."
2.) I was talking with my students about what they had planned for the weekend and one student asked me what I had planned. "Well, nothing yet. Just getting more stuff I need for the classroom and working on putting lessons together. Go to church, oh ya and the super bowl party on sunday."
Student- "Jeez miss you sound so old! You are young you should be out doing stuff. My grandma has more plans than you!"
3.) I was putting up some stuff in my classroom when I overheard a table say something like, "I wonder what teachers do....?" I pipe up and say, "What do you wonder about teachers?!" The students laugh and one of them goes, "We were wondering what you teachers do after school on the weekends?"
I laugh and ask, "What do you think we do?"
Student- "I think you all go clubbing on Friday and Saturday night and then go to church on Sunday."
4.) There is one of my students 7th period that almost always comes to class looking grumpy or with an attitude. He has got a great sense of humor though, but can be very literal and serious a lot of the time. Well one day he comes in all grumpy looking and me being in a playful mood go up to him in his face and sing part of finding nemo, "Hey Mr. Grumpy gills you know what you do when life gets you down?" I smirk appears on his face. "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming swimming, swimming..." He gets up and says, "I am out." and walks out the door. I of course follow him. "I guess I'll just have to sing to you out here in the hallway in front of everyone, "What do you do you swiiiim swiiiim ha ha ha ha ha ahhhhh!"
"Ha stop your embarrassing me!"
"Ahhh but I got you to smile."
ha ha thats what I love about middle schoolers they are so easily embarrassed : )
Even if it feels like you are doing absolutely everything wrong possible and everything seems to be going wrong, and you can't see what good can be coming of it remember that God can see it and does have a more amazing plan for us than we could ever imagine and probably won't ever fully see it.
"This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." 1 Corinthians 1:25
"So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58
"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed everyday. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be see. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
A lot of questions have been running through my head these last few weeks and I lost track of why I became a teacher and why I was here with these kids. I let my want for comfort and ease get the best of me. I let the many bad things that were going on take over me, over the single good things that showed me what I did mattered. Because wether I may notice it or not these kids are constantly watching, watching what I do and what I say. That's why I am putting together this little list. A list of the little things this week that showed me that all that matters is that I reach one, even if it feels like everything I am doing is all wrong.
1.) The first time I noticed my actions were being noticed was while I was walking down the hall. A little girl that I had never had in class was walking down the hall. I smiled at her and she said, "Miss, whenever I see you you are always smiling." I laughed and said, "Is that a bad thing or a good thing?" She answered with, "It's a good thing." and went into her classroom.
Sometimes what we do comes so natural to us that we forget that those little things may make all the difference to someone else.
2.) My second favorite was with this kid who, once put into my class, did absolutely nothing. I thought I had forgotten to put his grades in because there was nothing in the computer for him. He would either come to class and draw on his self or he would put his head down and sleep. Every time I tried to talk to him he wouldn't answer. At first I started trying to coax him into doing something, then it turned into giving him the choice to work or consequences will be given, but I then I felt that with him that would be taking a hundred steps backward rather than a step forward. So each day I made it a point to say hi every time I saw him and ask him how his day was going. He never answered me... but I kept it up. In my classroom I get the luxury of going around the room and sitting down with my students and getting to know them while they work and I work. One day I sat down by this particular student and asked him what he would like to do when he got older. He answered with, "A video game designer." So I chatted with him about it and told him how awesome that was and asked him about his favorite games, etc. and told him about how school would help him reach his dream. He didn't talk to me this whole part of the time, but I knew he could hear me. After I went off to help another student he raised his hand and said, "Miss come here I have a question for you." So I went over and he asked me about some classes he should maybe take. Break through!!! He has now been slowly doing work and I am so excited for him
: )!
3.) My most favorite moment this week was on Thursday. There were these two kids in the other art teachers class that were in special Ed. Instead of having them work on the projects the other kids did the other teacher just let them do their own thing and color. I knew that letting them do whatever wasn't helping them with anything and makes it seem as if they are not apart of the class. So I would go over each day and work with them. The boy would start to get out his stuff on his own and come up to me to help him start. I would help him start the project and then leave him to finish the rest. Well, he stayed in that classroom when I left, but every time in the hallway he will come by and give me a quick hug, because he doesn't really like to talk. Well Thursday morning was a rough start and as I was leaving my classroom, this little boy came up to me and gave me the biggest hug and held on for dear life for the longest time : ). That my dear friends is the best feeling ever. That was the best hug I have ever received in my life...and a tear jerker I would say.
Funniest quotes:
1.) Me- "Your too young to date."
Student- "Do you have a boyfriend."
Me- "No."
Student- "How old are you?"
Me- "23"
Student- "Well your too old not to date."
2.) I was talking with my students about what they had planned for the weekend and one student asked me what I had planned. "Well, nothing yet. Just getting more stuff I need for the classroom and working on putting lessons together. Go to church, oh ya and the super bowl party on sunday."
Student- "Jeez miss you sound so old! You are young you should be out doing stuff. My grandma has more plans than you!"
3.) I was putting up some stuff in my classroom when I overheard a table say something like, "I wonder what teachers do....?" I pipe up and say, "What do you wonder about teachers?!" The students laugh and one of them goes, "We were wondering what you teachers do after school on the weekends?"
I laugh and ask, "What do you think we do?"
Student- "I think you all go clubbing on Friday and Saturday night and then go to church on Sunday."
4.) There is one of my students 7th period that almost always comes to class looking grumpy or with an attitude. He has got a great sense of humor though, but can be very literal and serious a lot of the time. Well one day he comes in all grumpy looking and me being in a playful mood go up to him in his face and sing part of finding nemo, "Hey Mr. Grumpy gills you know what you do when life gets you down?" I smirk appears on his face. "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming swimming, swimming..." He gets up and says, "I am out." and walks out the door. I of course follow him. "I guess I'll just have to sing to you out here in the hallway in front of everyone, "What do you do you swiiiim swiiiim ha ha ha ha ha ahhhhh!"
"Ha stop your embarrassing me!"
"Ahhh but I got you to smile."
ha ha thats what I love about middle schoolers they are so easily embarrassed : )
Even if it feels like you are doing absolutely everything wrong possible and everything seems to be going wrong, and you can't see what good can be coming of it remember that God can see it and does have a more amazing plan for us than we could ever imagine and probably won't ever fully see it.
"This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." 1 Corinthians 1:25
"So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58
"That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed everyday. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be see. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
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