being speechless and school violence
I really love words! I love writing them, listening to them, reading them...so you can imagine my frustration when I can think of them. I find it particularly frustrating when I can't think of just the right words for something or someone. (For instance, sometimes I feel like Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail when she can't think of zingers in the heat of battle to wound Tom Hanks...although, that's not a very nice example, is it? But, it's true.) I also hate it when I am trying to put something into words, I do it, and then read it and realize it's nothing at all what I meant. Hmmmm. Frustration...another one of life's not so great feelings (definitely to be filed with disappointment). Maybe this is one reason why I love music so much. For when I am so incredibly speechless, some song will completley and beautifully articulate exactly what it is that I cannot. What about those times when I just can't think of anything to say to someone who's unbelievably hurt or upset me? Again, frustration...but on many levels! I just hate that.
Moving on... I covet all of your prayers for me, my students, and Palm Bay High School. Every day something happens that completely tugs at my heart and serves as confirmation that God is using me in the classroom. Thankfully, it's usually something quite small: an extremely thankful student whose schedule I've helped changed (if they try to change their schedules on their own, they have to wait for a guidance appointment which is usually a 1-2 week wait), a former student (often the bane of my existence last year) running by my room inbtween classes to high five me, or one of my ESOL (students whose primary language is not English) students smiling so big when I say, "Tenga un buen dia," as they leave (Have a good day!). Sometimes though, it's something far bigger than a thankful student that makes me realize how truly important teaching is. Take a look at the following incidents this week alone at Palm Bay High School.
This week at Palm Bay High:
1. The volleyball game fight was between a former student and current student of mine. Disappointing.
2. I have a student who punched a teacher, breaking his nose and knocking out several teeth
3. One student wrote "poop" on his forehead in permanent marker for class pictures today. The yearbook people were irate and did not let him take his picture. I don't think he cared. He just wanted attention.
4. A most disturbing rumor has apparently been confirmed by another teacher: some kid was stabbed three times today after school while still on campus.
Moving on... I covet all of your prayers for me, my students, and Palm Bay High School. Every day something happens that completely tugs at my heart and serves as confirmation that God is using me in the classroom. Thankfully, it's usually something quite small: an extremely thankful student whose schedule I've helped changed (if they try to change their schedules on their own, they have to wait for a guidance appointment which is usually a 1-2 week wait), a former student (often the bane of my existence last year) running by my room inbtween classes to high five me, or one of my ESOL (students whose primary language is not English) students smiling so big when I say, "Tenga un buen dia," as they leave (Have a good day!). Sometimes though, it's something far bigger than a thankful student that makes me realize how truly important teaching is. Take a look at the following incidents this week alone at Palm Bay High School.
This week at Palm Bay High:
1. The volleyball game fight was between a former student and current student of mine. Disappointing.
2. I have a student who punched a teacher, breaking his nose and knocking out several teeth
3. One student wrote "poop" on his forehead in permanent marker for class pictures today. The yearbook people were irate and did not let him take his picture. I don't think he cared. He just wanted attention.
4. A most disturbing rumor has apparently been confirmed by another teacher: some kid was stabbed three times today after school while still on campus.
posted by alisa beth at 11:01 PM
1 Comments:
Alisa Beth,
It is so good that you can see the difference you are making on those around you. Teaching is such an important job and it is good to know how important it is to you. Our daily habits make a better world. Thank you for your part in it from another person living in our common world. :)
And sometime, somewhere, someplace, have confidence that you have and will say the exact right thing, in the exact way you wanted, to the exact person who needed to hear it. Isn't it a shame that we can't burst out into song in daily life? Well, actually, because I can't sing too well, it probably is a good thing we usually don't. But, then we would have to problem of finding the right song to sing!
Life is full of ups and downs, just try to avoid pooped foreheads on picture day.
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