Where we are...

In an effort to stay connected, I thought I'd do a little post about where we are at right now in life.

I know that Leanna & Nate and Ryan & Heather have had some big events this month -- way bigger and more important than our month.  Maybe others have had big months too...

Clayton is in soul-searching mode.  He has been very thoughtful, prayerful, and communicative about his career.  He is excited to go meet with a career counselor to help him in his process.  I am proud of the progress he has made and I'm optimistic with where we are going.

I am enjoying my class.  It seems like around this time of year, sixth graders really let their true colors shine. Sometimes I wonder why I chose teaching.  Other times it is obvious.  Here are a couple illustrations of my days.

Story 1: Sixth graders can be difficult
I walk across the room to grab something and I see a student sitting under his desk.  I'm thinking, "what the heck, we're not having an earthquake drill..." Instead of saying this, I just look at him and say, "WHAT are you doing under your desk?" --I'm pretty blunt about it (more so than I maybe should have been) because I'm totally irritated.  He looks at me and says "well, I couldn't find my chair so I just sat down under my desk."  Seriously.  Under your desk? HOW is that your first thought?

Well, we had a little chat about how it probably would have been a better idea to LOOK for another chair (there were two sitting at our back table less than three feet from him) instead of sitting under his desk.  Sometimes these poor kids do the stupidest things to get attention.  I could tell he thought he was being funny and would get some attention from some "cool" kids....poor guy.  

Story 2: Sixth graders can be funny
Here is typical sixth grade boy.  There are always little posses of boys in sixth grade.  They are the attractive, rich, sporty kids.  It isn't only me who knows this about them...they are totally aware of it themselves.  It is obvious in how they talk to each other, AND to me.  Conveniently for me, I am, in the mind of a 12 year old boy, young enough to relate to (I'm not sure they really understand that I'm twice their age).  They try so hard to impress me with how fast they can run, what sport games they won, etc.  Back to my story -- there is a boy in my co worker's class.  He is trying to look very suave to his friends who are in my class.  He is walking past our classroom window slowly, acting very nonchalant, waving, grinning, totally being everything a 12-year-old boy who thinks he is all that would be.  Unfortunately for him, around the corner comes a very eager fifth grade girl.  He, looking in our classroom, totally oblivious to her existence, smacks right into her.  I start laughing because I saw it all and, I mean, come on, he deserved it.  Then I feel bad because he is a student (and all sixth graders have fragile self-esteem), so I tone down my laughter and try to get back to my lesson.  Later, at break, my students are in the halls getting drinks and they tell him how I laughed at him and he comes up to me like "I can't believe you laughed at me!!" Ahh...sixth graders.  They are so funny.

Story 3: Sixth graders can be precious
Today, we finished reading Where the Red Fern Grows. Well, I'm hoping you remember the ending.  If not, it is quite emotional.  I have to read it out loud, and tears are just rolling freely down my cheeks. I'm not the only one -- girls AND boys are crying.  Sniffles, snorts, and firm cheek wipes are happening all around the room.  My kids are all so tender.  Well, we go into a conversation about the ending and I am listening to all sorts of comments.  Most of them were sweet and well intentioned, like "I really liked this book, but why did it have to have such a sad ending?"  Well, one girl, a brilliant over-achiever who is so so sweet raises her hand.  She doesn't have a lot of friends because she is really smart.  She says, "I'm glad we read this book, because recently, my cat died."  She is the only one who is willing to talk WHILE crying.  She breaks down slowly and softly and it is the SWEETEST thing.  If you haven't read the book, you won't see the significance.  Well, she had written a letter to me last week about how her cat got run over by her dad's car and she stayed with it (and its crushed little body) for hours as it slowly passed away.  Gosh, she is the sweetest thing.

Well, anyway.  I didn't edit that at all, so it probably was fairly confusing, but hopefully you got the point.  I like teaching sixth grade, but it is hard.  I am considering (lightly) looking into a change of grades.  I have a hard time not having any social outlet at work.  It is also hard for me to do SO much every day and still feel like I'm only doing a mediocre job.

Anyway, I think that is about it.  Just chugging along...trying to plan some fun things for the year.

Love you guys!