I just have to share this before I start grading papers for the evening. There is one young lady who is the first to arrive in my first hour class everyday. Class starts at 7:52 and she is there at 7:30ish every morning. Seeing her absolutely puts a smile on my face as she is a real sweetheart who is working hard to do well in class.
Anyway, she was putting the finishing touches on an anti-bullying poster that she was to turn to turn into me (a unit on persuasive techniques and appeals) when she called my name, "Ms Coral?"
"Yeah, T_____?"
"I never ever tell people things like this, but...I have a really big crush on a boy in this class." She shyly smiled and glanced away from me.
I knew immediately how honored I was at that moment. "Can I guess?" I asked. She nodded. "D______?"
"Yeah," she blushed.
I grabbed an imaginary key, locked my lips, and tossed away the key. "I'll never tell." She smiled again and went back to work on her project and then left to grab a little breakfast.
It's just such a cool feeling when a student gives you a little happy glimpse into her world like that.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
I cried twice today
I do not like to cry in front of my students, but it happened twice today.
The first time was the fault of A.S. in my AP Literature and Composition. We've just finished a study of elements of fiction and are now transitioning into poetry. The class's first assignment was to read the introductory chapter on poetry. In class, they annotated the poem and several students volunteered to read the poem aloud and share their annotation. Well A.S. read John Updike's Dog's Death. I had purposely skipped over this selection in the chapter because I am a softie and I knew I would cry. Well he read it and I cried. I pulled together my composure to add more to the conversation we started last week about Frankenstein.
The second set of tears fell at the end of the day, just as Student Council members arrived to put the final touches on Homecoming. I opened my email and discovered that the October issue of RED OCHRE LiT has been published and there was my name. I clicked on my name and I just couldn't help myself. At that moment I had to let go of a lifetime of self-doubt and I had gotten so used to living with it. It has been my shield, my wall. I need to let that go now. The world is such a different place without my own fears holding me back.
The first time was the fault of A.S. in my AP Literature and Composition. We've just finished a study of elements of fiction and are now transitioning into poetry. The class's first assignment was to read the introductory chapter on poetry. In class, they annotated the poem and several students volunteered to read the poem aloud and share their annotation. Well A.S. read John Updike's Dog's Death. I had purposely skipped over this selection in the chapter because I am a softie and I knew I would cry. Well he read it and I cried. I pulled together my composure to add more to the conversation we started last week about Frankenstein.
The second set of tears fell at the end of the day, just as Student Council members arrived to put the final touches on Homecoming. I opened my email and discovered that the October issue of RED OCHRE LiT has been published and there was my name. I clicked on my name and I just couldn't help myself. At that moment I had to let go of a lifetime of self-doubt and I had gotten so used to living with it. It has been my shield, my wall. I need to let that go now. The world is such a different place without my own fears holding me back.
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