Reason Why I Teach #28: A Thank You Goes A Long Way

After much delay, I finally finished one of the students in my program's college recommendation letter, and gave it to him in school today.  When I tell you that this was the longest recommendation letter that I have ever written, I had to stop myself when I hit page 3!  Plus I teared up several times writing it. I'm such a mush, I know!

Well, I received the following email from this student a few moments ago, and it just made my night!!

Thank you so much for the college recommendation, I loved it so much !  It put a HUGEEEEEE smile on my face and it's great to know that all the little things I do are recognized, also on the other hand I never even realized that I even do HALF of those things, THANK YOU SO MUCH.  Now to send them away, and get accepted! COLLEGE HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!! ;)

Reasons Why I Teach #27: Class Ad for Gospel Brunch

My chapter, Rho Omega Zeta, just had our first Gospel Brunch last week Saturday in honor of mothers, and I was positively blown away when I read the ad my students wrote on my behalf.  Nothing but tears of honor poured from my eyes as I read it!

Reasons Why I Teach #26: First day of school parent email

I received this email today from one of the father's of the boys in my Gateway program (and it came just when I needed it):

Hi Mrs. EJ

You're truly a terrific teacher you have my support. I'm sure most children don't realize how fortunate they are.
I'm happy to hear that my son has you this year.

Now let's make it a Great School Year!

Reasons Why I Teach #36 - Email Brought Tears To My Eyes

Here's an email I received from one of my graduates that I passed for the grace of God. Sometimes you just have to know your students and what they are capable of. I included my response back to her as well. I was so overcome, saddened, overjoyed, and proud of how far this young lady had come when in the eyes of most, she wasn't making progress at all. See why...

Hey Ms.E
I never really got the chance to thank you for everything you did. It might not have seemed like much but just listening and caring to what I had to say meant more then I can ever tell you. You helped me see in a side of me I had forgot was even there for so long, a side of me that the depression and self harm had buried and destroyed years ago. I still have a LONG way to go before I'm even close to getting any better but in a way I can't explain, you helped me see that there is hope and it is possible to be happy again. You helped me realize my words needs to heard because they do nothing but destroy me if I keep them inside.
The reason I keep a lot of things unsaid is because no one ever really cared what I had to say and judged me for it. Not many people understand depression and serious cases like mine get over looked because people just think it's for attention or just a phase. Like when "Emo" was said as an emotion and the action was cutting. I can't even tell you how many times I was called emo in the class or jokes about me being depressed or suicidal. The world is full of judgement people who don't understand how Much pain you have to be in to put that blade to your wrist or even think about suicide. The Comments and jokes really got to me which is why I finally just shut myself out away from everyone at the end. I just couldn't take it.
Sorry, I'm not sure why I'm telling you this. I just wanted to say thank you. What you wrote in my year book actually made me cry when I read it. You are an amazing teacher and I wish I had you freshmen year. It would of definitely changed my high school experience completely and me.
Hope you have a wonderful summer and hopefully see you soon.(:
Love, Student

Dear student,

You are the reason why I wanted to teach! Your words just brought tears to my eyes. I wish too that I had you as a freshman or on my caseload. I also wish you told me about the comments in class. I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't catch them. I, too, suffer from depression and am currently on medication to improve myself, but I try extremely hard not to let my students or my children see my pain. That's why I kept telling you to trust me that I understood what you were dealing with.

I hope our year together will help you keep your voice no matter what. And please please believe me when I say that if you need to talk, I am here for you. Ok?

Love,

Ms.E

Back to Work Blues

I know, I know, I know! As a teacher, I don't get any sympathy when I complain that I have to go back to work after having 10 days off for Spring Break.

The first part of my break was wrecked by my overwhelming sadness. Therapy just confirmed that I am depressed. The rain ruined most of the free outdoor activities I had planned for the kiddies. Then all the family stuff got crammed into the past 3 days, so I didn't feel worse about crying in bed for the first 3 days of break.

Sigh.

The minute we walked back into the house from our day trip to the Intrepid, this sense of dread and sadness washed back over me. I literally sat on hubby's lap and had myself a quick cry. I have so much stuff to do the minute I walk into work tomorrow, it's making me nauseas:

• Proposal for assistance and support with my program
• Get tickets and program printed for my open mic show (annual event that I award a scholarship for)
• Report Card grades
• Practice, practice, practice for the show
• Prep for our next program trip
• Figure out what the hell I'm going to teach for the next 6 weeks
• sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh

Lord, I am grateful for having a job. I'm just so overwhelmed with it.

Can You Be A Shy Teacher? Or Can a Teacher be Shy?

Vanessa wrote:

I'm 18 and I really want to become a teacher but I'm more on the shy/quiet/reserved side. I was wondering do you think I could be a teacher even though I'm more shy/quiet?

I responded to Vanessa but was curious what do yo guys think?

Are Students Getting Dumber?

Is that wrong of me to say that as a teacher, or am I within my right? I just finished entering report card grades, final exams, projects, etc., and from seniors to sophomores the majority is failing!

Am I a hard grader? In one sense, yes I am. I have extremely high expectations for my students, especially the boys class. However, if you do my homework and participate there should be no reason for you to fail my class because the quizzes and exams come straight out of the homework. I'll go it one further, before every big test I usually play some form of review game where I'm actually giving them the actual test - AND KIDS STILL FAIL!!

Now we find out the English Regents has be chopped down to one day, instead of being two days and four essays, now it's a bunch of multiple choice questions and a partial written essay. Did the powers that be up in Albany do this to make the lives of English teachers less stressful or is it because no one wants to admit that this generation is getting dumber and dumber by the minute.

Teens today are as my brother calls them "screenagers" because everything they do is connected to a screen. And the speed at which they can get what they want is merely a click away. No one researches any more. No one spends hours upon hours doing homework like we used to. No one goes to the library all day on a Saturday to get a project done. Ok, ok, I know that is a seriously gross exaggeration because I know that the parents of my generation are trying like hell to make their kids do what we did, but the power of "stupid is cool" and "I don't need no education cuz look at all these stars and athletes that made it without one" is overwhelming.

Sigh...am I burnt? Have I become bitter? Or are these kids really just that dumb? Ok, lazy? Thoughts??

Reasons Why I Teach #35 - Student said what?

As I was getting ready to leave work yesterday, the phone rang and normally when the bag is on the shoulder, I don't answer it. However, the call was coming from a classroom and I thought better of it and picked it up. It was a Global teacher that I know and like.

Here's how the conversation went:

Ms. T - You have one of my students, D, in your all boys class, right?

Me: Yes, is something wrong? (always thinking negative)

Ms. T - No, on the contrary. I've been working with D for the past 2 years in my Global classes and while he's very bright, he's also extremely shy and quiet.

Me: Really? He talks in my class.

Ms. T - Well, that's why I'm calling. D always gets the grades, this term he's gotten 91, 86, 89 on his exams. I put a little note on his last one just saying I've noticed and happy to see he's opening up more in class. He came up to me after class and said that it's because of you. That you're the first teacher to make him believe.

Me: (silence b/c I'm trying not to get all teary had 2 students in the office with me).

Ms. T - We don't often get to hear these kinds of things from our students and I just wanted to let you know that you're making a difference.

I'm still blown away by what D said. This kid just did a presentation in my class that blew me away with his public speaking skills. I was first shocked by the fact that she said he didn't speak in her class and she's had him for 2 years! But to know that he's the opposite in my class and he feels that I'm the reason...there just aren't the words.

This is why I teach!!

Now tomorrow I have to go in and tell half of my classes that they're failing and they need to step it up!! What will that inspire, hm?