AuburnChick's Adventures

First of all, can I get a Hallelujah that it’s Fall Break in these here parts?

I think I spent between ten and fifteen hours grading between Monday and Thursday…

I was also given a book that the English and Reading departments will use for a joint book study…

Interestingly enough, just this week, I’d decided to use Close Reading as one of the strategies I’m going to focus on in my Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) for the 2013/2014 school year.  I’m excited about what I’m going to learn in the book study!

With all of that plus more going on, I was more than ready for a time of rest.

I turned off all of my weekday alarms…

The Mr. quietly slipped out the door, and when I woke up, it was nearly noon…

Go ahead and be jealous.

As I got ready for my day, I thought about my students, because that’s what I always do.  I reflected on the way the week had gone and funny moments shared.

One such moment happened on Thursday during 6th/7th period.

You might remember when I told you about one of my students calling me boogee.

By the way, you pronounce it as boo-zhee.

I was corrected.

😉

Anyhoo…

As I was talking to the class about something that I’ve since forgotten (imagine that), the same young man who had called me boogee told me, “Mrs. AuburnChick, you are not boogee.  You are soooo not stuck up.”

I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped.

He went on to say, “I know people who are way more stuck up, and you are not stuck up.”

Then, he said words that made me smile, “I take back my words.”

I leaned my head down and said, “Can you repeat that because I’m not sure I heard you correctly.”

heehee

I like to have fun, in case you didn’t know that already.

His smile was big, and other kids joined in with him by saying that I am not stuck up.

These moments are important to me because they are part of the bigger picture…building solid relationships with my students…bridging connections.

I think it’s a little naive to think that students will come to school and love the learning process.

Let’s face it.  Most don’t.

Many of them resent having their brains stretched to the point of being sore.  Some want the easiest way out.

I don’t provide that.

I am demanding and require much of my charges.

I am learning to ask hard questions.  I ask them to reflect on their learning.  I require my students to show me what they know, not just regurgitate “book” answers.

They won’t do this willingly if I haven’t built a rapport with them and established common interests.

Such connections lead to trust and respect.

Trust and respect lead to a desire to work hard and not let each other down.

Do I care if some students don’t like me because I demand so much?

Not really.

Does it bother me when I can’t connect with a student?

Yes, because I worry that the child won’t succeed because he/she will resent being in my room in the first place.

It is my sincerest belief that if I can win a student over, I can then begin to cultivate a love for the learning process.

The student who took back his words is having a love/hate relationship with me.

Some days, he’s happy; other days he’s not.

A small moment like the one we shared let me know that I am impacting his life, and that he is seeing the connection.

That was apparent during last night’s football game when he walked onto the track, toting his drum (he’s in the band), and he smiled and spoke to me when I waved to him.

This makes this teacher heart of mine happy.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: teaching |