Teenage Love Is Disgusting

Recently I have been reminded of why I love my job and my students.

  I needed this reminder desperately as senioritis (which is really just an excuse to be the laziest son of a gun ever) has been in full force for the last month eight months.

The seniors I teach have been in my classes for two years now.  While I am extreemly ready for them to graduate and get their stinky senioritis ridden bodies out of my classroom, I will really miss these kids.  I know who they are and for the most part the core of who they are makes them good kids.

The last two weeks I have had a few conversations that just made my heart melt and made me sad they will not be in my classroom everyday anymore.

 The first came from one of the most gentelmanly students I have ever met.  In fact his nickname is "Gentleman."  When he sees me walking to my classroom with loads of stuff he will run to me and carry my things.  When a classmate needs a book, pen, piece of paper he will get up and get it for them.  When his classmates need to be knocked upside the head for being knuckleheads he will do it for me.  He is just a great kid. I told my students if they are looking for a boyfriend he would make a great one.  I was proven right when this great kid fell in love this semester... hard.

 

Even though this kid is great and most of my students are great, I will admit that I think teenage love is disgusting!

I do not like it when teenagers are all handsy while I am standing behind them at Disneyland or Taco Bell.  Really, Taco Bell is the place that peaks those hormones?

Doesn't this remind you of high school?

During my poetry unit around Christmas time I told my students their poems should be from the heart, but that their hearts were incapable of love.  I did not want to read hundreds of love poems from these kids, sorry.

That said I occasionally think teenage love is just so stinking cute.  There are a few couples that I have had in my classes that I really hope will make it.  I hope they invite me to their weddings.  I hope they are the people that say they married their high school sweetheart and have been married for 58 years.

I also really like it when I see little romances blooming in my class.  I change my seating charts every quarter and if I think the match would be adorable I will let them sit by each other.  I should start a show called Classroom Matchmaker.

My dear Gentleman is in a little high school relationship.  I am not sur eit will be one of those that will make it 60 years but it is kind of cute.

The school had their spring play last week and I went and enjoyed watching the kids preform and have fun.  After the play I just sat down waiting for May, and a group of kids came to sit by me.  Gentleman was with them and he was waiting for his lady to come hang out with him.

I asked how things were and he said good.  Then he got super awkward.  I asked what was up and he asked me what I thought about his grammar.  He just came to America three years ago from China and of course there are some issues but nothing serious.  I told him this and he seemed very sad.

He then asked me if he gave me something to edit if I would.  I said of course and asked what it was.

His reply was amazing: "I want to write a love letter to my girlfriend but I am worried about my grammar."

How could you not love that?!?  I told him that if he wanted me to read something that personal I would help him but that she would like it no matter what.

In that moment I was so happy that I was a teacher and that I had earned a trust after two years to care for and cheer on my students in their most personal ways.

That same week I was hanging out with the seniors while they made their senior video and I had a group of girls come over and ask to take a picture with me.  I said of course and we took this picture.

Then they asked if it could be on my blog.  Melt my heart again!  Yes ladies your photo can be on my blog!

 I am grateful for these small moments that remind me why I care, why I teach, and why caring can make a difference.

love!  Erica