The good part was that Randy was off, too...not due to snow, just his schedule, so we spent the entire day eating, being lazy, and then finally working out (and felt a little better about ourselves). But minus the snow day, the reality is that it is the start of a new semester, and a couple of things recently have reminded me why I never wanted to teach middle schoolers.
For starters, my elementary-school-teacher-friends talk about how many hugs they get in a day (not that I want hugs from big 8th grade boys) and how many "thank you's" they get. Thank you? Yeah, right. I don't think I have heard that once this year! In fact, I believe I say thank you to the students just so that I hear it!
Secondly, I got my first "insult" recently. In my classroom, I write "HARTMAN" on all the rulers in black sharpie in hopes that they will stay in the room. Well, just the other day a sweet, adorable sixth grade girl said, "Mrs. Hartman, I wanted you to know that someone has written on your ruler." There in big black letters was the word "SUCKS" after Hartman.
Hartman SUCKS.
No hugs or thank you's for me, just the nice message that I apparently suck as a teacher. Ugh.
Lastly, a sixth grader had on the same sweater that my mom got me from Macy's for Christmas. I'm already told I look young, but now matching 11 year-olds? Enough said.
I guess it's true that you have to take the good with the bad, and there is plenty of good to my job...so I suppose I can bear down and continue attempting to tame the middle school beasts. Meanwhile, I've told Randy that when our kids reach middle school, they're getting shipped off to boarding school!
You are such a blessing to those kids though, Lynz. It takes a lot to do what you do. I NEVER could handle it. Glad you got your snow day :) LOVE EWE
ReplyDeleteKelsa is right. At least you are willing to be there for them. Not many people are willing to do that!! Your students may not tell you, but you are making a difference. Love you!
ReplyDeleteJust remember too, not everyone's going to like you and appreciate what you do for them (especially middle and high schoolers). It's a hard thing to deal with...believe me, I have a hard time with it at work. Hope that encourages you a little on a rough day!
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