Being Positive?

So my mom mentioned that maybe I shouldn't complain so much on this blog. Is that what it sounds like? Am I too negative all the time? umm, probably.

Let's try saying some good stuff.

They were right about it getting better. Sort of. I mean, I know my material better. Much better--I can teach the concepts with an eye towards where we are going, I know the ways in which to explain the concepts that these kids get, and I am a little more organized, because I know how helpful that is.

It's also just nice to see friendly faces in the hallway. My kids from last semester, even when they groaned and growled at homework, classwork, pretty much any work, give me hugs in the hallway and tell me they miss me. They even ask knowingly if I miss them. One of the girls that gave me the most hell 1st period last semester said, "how are your classes this semester Ms. Sudow? Are they as bad as we were?" At least she understands what she put me through. She is the same one that said she probably could have got it if she'd been paying attention all along. I asked her if she remembered that in her classes now, if she was, in fact, paying attention and doing her work from the start, she said she was. Let's hope that's the case.

I realized, well have known it all along, but it's become clearer to me, that I did not become a teacher to teach Algebra 2. Yes the math skills in my class are important, but I want to teach more than that. I want to teach responsibility, work ethic, love of learning--all that good stuff. All the things that somehow were just in me, maybe it was Potomac, maybe it was my parents. These kids don't have that, for so many reasons they don't have that. One is that they have no idea what the 'real world' looks like. They don't really have anything concrete to reach for because they don't seem to know what success really looks like. I want to show them that somehow. I want them to see the other side so they know how to act. I want them to be invested. That is probably the toughest part of my job. To see so much potential in these kids, but they've gotten away for so long with mediocrity, with pushing people away and getting kicked out class, that there really isn't much reason for them to try anymore.

I am going to keep working at it. I am going to keep getting on my soap box every once in a while to help them understand, or see what's out there. Hopefully they'll actually listen and not just think I am some rich girl who doesn't have a clue.