Each week I try to make it to Wednesday afternoon with my sanity all wrapped up, nice and neat.
This week I lost it somewhere along the way . . .
Noon on Tuesday through 330pm on Wednesday is generally my hardest part of the week. Normally I can push through. But, something happened this week. My 3rd graders were all keyed up. Perhaps it had to do with the moon or the rain or the orbit of the planets, alignment of the stars . . . Whatever it was, I came home touting all sorts of things about being done and this is crazy and why did I get a masters, blah, blah, blah. (I mean--honestly--am I right or am I right?)
How am I supposed to teach visual studies if I am managing behavior the entire time? I don't know.
I still don't know. I've never had behavior problems before: generally students love art and enjoy the physicality of creative making. Not these students.
Or not yet, at least.
See, therein lies the challenge. My goal has been set: make lifelong creative thinkers and problem solvers out of each and every one of them. They are bright, capable, and smart students. Of course, this goal is the same goal I set for every young person I interact with. But, generally it's easier to reach. But, why is easy always better?
The following packet of "I'm sorry" letters showed up on my desk today--Friday--around 2pm. This should give you a pretty good indication of how my Tuesday/Wednesday was this week.
I guarantee changes will be made and by December these students and I will be on a very different path. And, I'm excited to see where this leads . . .
By the time Thursday rolled around, I was pretty much spent. And then my 2nd graders showed up at 9am. And, as they were lining up to come into my classroom, sweet little Isaac spoke up, "I have a gift for you. It's Teachers' Day and I brought something for you." (He said this to me with a specific tone in his voice, like I was to have known that it was Teachers' Day and why was I so surprised to be getting something . . . )
Here's what you should know about my second graders: they are always happy, always ready to create, and so incredibly lovely to start a day with. We went into the classroom, they sat down on the rug, and immediately they began shouting for me to open my gift in front of all of them. I received a mug and a coaster. The coaster reads:
Thank you.
Good teachers impart good education.
Great teachers groom their students to become leaders.
Ordinary teachers direct us along the right path, but
great teachers inspire us to seek our
own path. They encourage us to
discover our talents.
Wishing You A
Happy Teachers' Day!
"They encourage us to discover our talents." There it is, my mantra: the words that keep me coming back day-after-day, and keep me thinking about solutions to the challenges night-after-night.
Thursday and Friday afternoons consist of 4 classes of 4th graders. Each of the images above show students from each of the classes, hard at work . . . These students (my gems) turn the classroom into a true learning space and working studio. Magic happens and creative problem solving, collaboration, and social learning takes place. It's incredible to watch. I am so thankful to end my weeks with these young people. They send me off into the weekend refreshed and ready to begin anew.
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