Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Old Students Heal Me

Student: How was your day?
Me: I have demons in my homeroom.
Student: Ooh, you can handle it. You had worse. I know you can control them. You're Miss J so there is nothing to worry about. They dont know that they got the best teacher i've ever had. i know those kids don't really care about school. honestly i wished i could go back in time and not do any of the mistakes i made cuz i feel like i messed up at the beginning.
Me: Its not too late to fix anything. I have a lot of faith in and hope for you. You could be a good role model for the next generation and inspire/motivate them.
Student: Thank you. that really motivates me. im going to study starting tonight bcuz i want to make you proud so you wont have to worry about me. :D Also, could you put [my girlfriend] at the front of the room and pick on her and have fun with her? Always keep her on her feet, make sure she doesn't fall behind cuz she's really smart n she says she hates science but your science is diff'rent.

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Girl to sister and her evil friend: You have Miss J for homeroom?! She's the BEST TEACHER EVER.

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Panerio: Miss J, I'm going to wear my old school uniform and hop the fence so I can make sure the new kids are good to you on the first day.

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Jacky, Anay and her family, Jerry (the a-salted one-- did I tell that story?), Vianey, Yesenia, Panerio, and a couple others all came to see me today during open house.
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Note:
I have to type and remember these things or the negative swirling doom that I'm feeling every second might overwhelm me. We are so quick to worry, and so quick to forget that we make a difference, and that the kids we care so much about care about us right back. I am worried that I might have inadvertently taken on too much this year. I am worried (like I worry every year) that my kids won't get me, that we won't click, and that I won't have any fun with them. I am worried that I'll try so hard to make my co-workers successful and my kids happy and knowledgeable that I'll lose myself in the process. This is why I need to remember the good-- like the snippets above. And the extra good-- like the snippet below. It takes a community to teach a kid, and it also takes one to pick up the tired teacher.

Ms. R

Ms. R is turning into my favorite person at school.

She was a 1st year teacher last year, and I thought she did a really great job. She loved the little shits the most. She never gave up, always had a good attitude, and kept learning. She didn't spontaneously combust. Of course, she'll probably tell you that she was 2/3 an atomic bomb of a disaster, but I'm not validating that garbage.

This year, she is--as Sebastian might say-- one saucy mama.

Now that she is a well-seasoned veteran, she has come back with good advice and tons of attitude. She's this take-charge tornado who now KNOWS that teaching is sometimes a shit storm, and knows she can weather it. She just puts on a poncho (or, the most teachery dress you'll see on a 20-something year old) and bears it.

I don't normally write about teachers, but Ms. R kills me. As a mentor teacher, I should be the one stopping heart attacks. Here, it's the other way around. Every time I go into panic mode, she tells me about her great idea of wearing a fanny pack full of math manipulatives. Or tells a story about last year's "Mysterious Ball Puncher." (If your mind went to a dirty place... you were right). And she gives me realistic suggestions that calm me down.

She may feel like she's not my equal, but I wouldn't trade her for anything. Not even a new class list. And boy, could I use that.


P.s. By the way, Ms. R, if you're reading this.... you need to email me your blog address because I no longer have it.

Day 6

Day 6. Thursday. ABORT MISSION. ABORT! DEMONS ON CLASS LIST! ABORT MISSION! Teeth, Napoleon, Girl-Who-Called-A-Teacher-A-Cunt-And-Said-She-Should-Choke-On-A-Dick, her best friend, Pure Evil, and Cashew?! MAYDAY MAYDAY TEACHER GOING DOWN.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Dear School.

Day 1: Sunday. Heck yes, school, bring it on!

Day 2: Monday. Dear school. I did not mean for you to bring it on that much. Please bring it on slightly less. And then give me a snack. And nap time.

Day 3: Tuesday. School, my brain is still exploding. I am developing ADD, and I'm pretty sure that you're the cause, because I have not been eating foods with high levels of dyes. So, I need more stimulation, please. Or maybe a dance-party break. Or maybe for you to provide me an extra few hours of day.

Day 4: Wednesday. School. If you had a middle and a last name, I would use it in a scolding tone. You are not living up to your potential. You were supposed to teach me useful things every day so I could grow as a human, and you are not. The only thing I got from you was crabs from the bathroom.

Okay, so maybe that's a lie, but you did once give me lice, so its not that big a leap. I am, however, strangely happy that I am having a medical issue so that I do not have to sit and stab my eyeball out. That would be a much worse medical issue. Please do better tomorrow.

This is Why I Love this Child

Favorite: Miss J, are you still teaching science this year?
Me: Yes, but we have two new science teachers.
Favorite: Well, they can't take your place cuz no one can do a job better than you. Thats been proven by society.

That was exactly what I needed today.

Denialism Ticks me Off

Today, I saw a bumper sticker that said this:

Global warming.
A dangerous, man-made phenomenon created by Marxist ideals and junk science.


I wanted to ninja kick his face. Right off.

I love it how people have decided that science is something that can be "believed" or "not believed." This isn't religion, people.

You can choose to not understand, you can be not ready to understand. But how do you decide to just deny it? Why does the idea that you have the potential to screw up the planet insult you? Or take the evolution debate. Why does it insult you that you came from a long line of ancestors that changed over time?

I wonder if this guy also denies gravity, the spherical nature of earth, and that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago. And I bet he thinks he's at the center of the universe.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Whose Team are YOU on?

An old, old story I forgot to post:

The other day, one of my girls came up to me-- all Twilighted out on free dress day. She'd been having quite the heated argument with another one of the girls and needed me to settle something for them.

"Miss J, which team are you on?"
"Huh?"
"You know! Twilight. Team Edward or Team Jacob? Because honestly, if you say Team Jacob, I'm going to scream, I mean, like, Edward is Bella's SOUL MATE. So, Team Edward, right?"

I put on my biggest, cheesiest smile, my most enthusiastic voice.

"Team KNOWLEDGE, baby! OH yeah. Knowledge is sexy. Nobody has better abs than KNOWLEDGE."

She was not amused.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Texts of Happiness

The universe wants me to keep teaching.

In the last 2 weeks, I have gotten text messages from all sorts of former students, all totally out of the blue.


Sergio told me about traveling with his soccer team across the country, and to keep my fingers crossed for him.
Monica just wanted to check in and make sure "my man" was treating me well.
Alex wanted legal counsel, and to meet up and talk when I got back to Phoenix.
Zariah wanted to tell me that I reminded her of Julia Styles.
Vianey wanted me to know that she hasn't moved to Mexico yet, and wanted to see me before she does...
Jesus had his usual supply of endless questions.
And Castro, my "son" told me that he was growing, has a new girlfriend, had moved, and had to text all of his friends to find someone who had my number so he could let me know not to worry about him.

And all of them signed off by saying:
"Bye best teacher ever!"
"Miss you, Miss J!"
"I would be honored to work for the best scientist/best mom in da world!"

These kids are my heart.
THIS is why I do what I do. When punk-ass teenagers (who are usually embarrassed by adults) don't forget you and trust you.... you know you've done something right.