Slice
of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers. For
the month of March we are challenging ourselves to write a Slice A Day.
Here we go!
Thursday
was a day that I felt like I did a lot of “lecturing.” When I was growing up my
mom would often give lectures – but she didn’t call them lectures. She’d either
call it a “come to Jesus” meeting or tell us that she had to teach us because in
my Mother’s Handbook on page 101… I remember one year my friend Kara and I
took some paper and stapled it together to create our own “book.” We titled it
“Mother’s Handbook” and every page was numbered 101 with life lessons written
on each one.
So it was
a big lecture day. And while I wasn’t mad
at my students, I felt the need to have a talk. Several times. I think if we
only think of our job as trying to teach the standards, we are missing out on a
big part of teaching. I look at teaching as my chance, for one year, to impact
these students’ lives. I want to help them learn to become better people. I
want to help them avoid so many of the mistakes that I have made. I want to share
the lessons I’ve learned. Essentially, I treat my students the same way I treat
my own children. That means I am not there to be their friend, and sometimes
they might not like me very much, but I hope they know that I love them. That I’d
do anything for them. Even give a lecture.
As I drove home from school, I reflected on the day. I’m working hard to look for the positive because I’ve quickly figured out this week that negativity only breeds more negativity. I’m much happier the other way. And those positive moments? I’ve had them in spades over the past two days.
Moments such
as my students celebrating my birthday. One made me a cookie cake for my birthday. I love surprises and this truly made me smile – and tear up a little, to be honest. Others made cards and gave me gifts. Unexpected acts of kindness are ones you don’t forget.
Moments such
as skating, again, with my students. I promised to try out the inline skates.
Not a pretty sight, and certainly not fast, but a great memory. I’m so lucky to
spend my days with these guys. 
Moments such
as a birthday delivery from my niece, Vivian. Any days that I get to kiss those
cheeks can go down as a great day! Goodness. J
I hope my
students can forgive a lecture from their teacher every now and again. It’s
this time of year that my eyes turn to the calendar. As it stands right now, we
have fifty-five days left of school. I enjoy summer as much as the next
teacher, but that thought makes me physically ill. Fifty-five days? But I have
so much left to do, to share. The tears that always come that last day when I
say good-bye threaten to spill over, but I won’t let them. We have many weeks
and months to go. More books to share, more laughs and memories ahead. A lecture
is needed from time to time, but today will be a good day and I cannot wait to
see them.
