As I am getting ready to go to my 9 - 5 (more like 7 - 1 during the summer) I thought I would take a quick minute and link up with the lovely Helene and Sarah for #9to5totalsocial.
If you are a regular reader here you know that my full-time job is to teach. Specifically I teach hormonal seniors in high school about Literature and Psychology. There is a lovely tab to the right full of my teaching stories if you are interested in what happens from day to day.
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My Psychology class this year. They thought taking a photo where they are sleeping was hilarious.[/caption]I am currently teaching Summer School, because I am a sucker love making children read The Crucible and write research papers in one week's time and then do it all over again the next week.
Most days I love my job. My students can be bright, insightful, and compassionate.
I love teaching them about the world around them and watching them become uncomfortable with injustice and seek ways to make the world around them better.
I love when we read the ending of Of Mice and Men together and half the class screams when George pulls the trigger and the other class throws their book down.
I love that I make them line up along the wall of our class and chuck their books at the wall when they are angered or upset at the injustice they just read about.
I love that I can create a space where teenagers feel safe to be a little nerdy and can love reading.
I also love when they fall short of the list above.
I love when I get a paper about Bill Gatsby the founder of Microsoft who was trying to win the love of a woman named Daisy.
I love when I get a Wikapedia article in paper format with my students name on it (I have a few students who are apparently contributors to Wikapedia).
I love when I tell them a paper is due at midnight and half the class thinks midnight is noon.
I love when they tell me that they hate summer school and reading.
I love when I ask what computer games they play and they say "computer games".
I love every single time they walk in my class and say, "are we doing anything today?"
Things I do not love include watching them graduate and mountains of paperwork that seems to get bigger every year.
Oh and I have some rather awesome co-workers that have even better stories of children being brilliant and utterly befuddling.
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Yes from time to time I look like this at my job that I get paid for.[/caption][caption id="attachment_1701" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
I also get to go to the movies for free from time to time.[/caption]Alright I am off to read the ending of The Crucible with the summer crew. Pray I don't cry when Proctor refuses to sign his name and ultimately finds his redemption. What do you do for your work and what do you love about it?
You can definitely tell you really love teaching!
ReplyDeletei always love hearing about your teaching stories. your passion for it shines through on your blog!
ReplyDeleteI recently found your blog through Kate at The Florkens and I love it! My husband is a high school math teacher and I love reading about other teacher blogs. You sound like an amazing educator and your students are so lucky to have you. Teachers work SO hard and I am in awe of anyone who can put up with the drama of high schoolers. :)
ReplyDeleteI LOL'd at the sleeping photo. :) Your passion for teaching really shines, and I'm sure your students are lucky to have you. I wish we had more engaging teachers like you at our high school. Some were wonderful, others could use a bit more energy [especially during the morning!]. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteBill Gatsby the founder of Microsoft. Stop it. I hope you gave that person an A for effort. See this is why I couldn't be a teacher, I would award so many points for humor!
ReplyDeleteThe world needs MORE teachers like you! Seriously! I always thought it would be super fun to be a teacher but I settled for becoming a paralegal because I fell in love with the law :)
ReplyDeleteWow I love this. It's cool to see the other side of teaching. As a student you just think the teacher is out to get you (sometimes), when in reality a teacher is a selfless person trying to better the lives of hundreds of kids! Anaheim Ducks, eh? I went to CSUF. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼
ReplyDeleteI love this! Your students are so lucky to have such an amazing teacher!! You can tell how much fun and passion you put in to your lessons and everyday!
ReplyDeleteI remember reading the Crucible in high school--I'm starting a new job as an ESL teacher in August--I know it'll be a big learning experience for me!
ReplyDeleteThanks girl! It is a wonderful job!
ReplyDeleteAw thanks friend! I love writing them to remind me that I do love it. Sometimes it is not that easy to remember.
ReplyDeleteOh my thank you so much for the sweet words! I love hearing great stories from other teachers too. IT is nice to know you are not alone with all their hormones and drama!
ReplyDeleteAw thank you! I get bored when my class is boring, so maybe it is fun to keep me entertained! That photo is so silly. Totally a student staged photo!
ReplyDeletethank you so much! It sounds like you didn't settle, but went for something you love. The law is fascinating!
ReplyDeleteHA! I wanted to give him a grade but it was so far off the topic! I really think he thought the great gatsby was about bill gates. poor child.
ReplyDeleteGo Ducks! One of my good friends went to CSFU too. yay orange county!
ReplyDeletethat will be so cool! I am sure you will be great at teaching ESL!
ReplyDeleteAw thanks! I love it and they are great too!
ReplyDeleteThe Crucible! Tell them to appreciate it. They could be reading Beowulf. Once, my Brit Lit I professor talked about how the only manuscript was almost burned and I made a comment that I wished that it had. I think I only got away with a good grade because I was a senior...
ReplyDeleteUgh please tell me you make them watch The Dead Poets Society!!
ReplyDeleteYou are hilarious, I love it. I love how passionate you are about your job. It's a rare thing!
ReplyDeleteAmazing how dedicated you are to teaching :)
ReplyDeletehaha! You know we haven't watched that one yet. I keep trying to find a way to incorporate it with the curriculum.
ReplyDeleteI have to teach beaowulf to the seniors during the school year. I always tell them we start with the worst one so the rest of the year will be easy.
ReplyDeleteAw thank you for your kind words !
ReplyDeletethanks girl! I love being able to laugh and enjoy my silly students!
ReplyDeleteWow you have a passion for sure. If only all teachers could share that passion you have. I'm in love with literature, maybe not as much as you. I know I would be if I had a teacher like you. Keep it up. I'm sure you're helping the kids more than you know.
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