AuburnChick's Adventures

On Monday, when my students entered my class, they were greeted with the following assignment:

Write a letter to Mrs. Auburnchick’s future students advising them of things they should know to be successful in the class.

Students were warned not to use the letter as a gripe session.  They were to be sensitive to my feelings because I would be reading and grading the letters.  🙂

I wanted to share a few excerpts…some made me chuckle…others made me tear up.

Please click on the photos to make them bigger.

The following student really knows how to make the kids feel good about getting placed in my class.  Maybe they should invest in some band aids?

The next student explains that all of my degrees on the wall are all the justification I need to not have to tolerate the use of cell phones.  😀

The next student obviously understood the figurative language unit I taught (love the owl simile).  She warns against the use of foul language…especially the word “thot.”  Don’t know what it means?  Visit Urban Dictionary.  Please note that the student wouldn’t even spell it out.  Ask me how many points I deducted from the class because someone used this word.

The next student reiterates what the previous student said.  Please note that students did not compare notes or copy each other as they wrote.  It was one of the quietest times that my classes had all year…they took this assignment quite seriously.

For the record, I didn’t write up students for cursing.  If I did that, I wouldn’t have many students left to teach.  I only consider cursing a write-up if a student uses the colorful language directly to my face, in a “I’m-going-to-give-you-another-name” kind of way.  🙂

The next student’s words made my nerdy teacher heart sing with joy.

The first day of school, most of my kids walk into my classroom 1) resentful that they are in Intensive Reading and 2) adamant that they don’t like to and won’t read.

99.9% of them walk out the final day of school with changed hearts as far as books go.  This student’s words confirm this.

This last student’s words make me smile in more ways than one.

Just this afternoon, as we were watching our class movie, made from the hundreds of photos I’d taken of the kids all year, she told me that she had told her mom about the vegan cupcakes I’d baked for them and how delicious they had been.

This girl sounds like Minnie Mouse…such an endearing voice with a precious laugh and sweet spirit.  She’s promised to come visit me next school year.  Her words back up her feelings.

The last week of school is filled with so many bittersweet moments.  They make it difficult to say goodbye.

Filed under: Teaching | Tagged: education, teaching |