School's...out...for...SUMMER!!
Yesterday was my last day of school for the next three months! Hooray! It is very hard to believe that my first year teaching is over. I find myself reflecting over the past year and wondering 1. How did I make it through successfully? and 2. Wow, am I going to do things differently next year! Overall though I feel like this year was a huge learning experience and I gained lots of beneficial training while adapting to the cultural changes out here in southern California.
THINGS I WILL MISS:
~My regular group of girls that come to visit me EVERY morning before the bell rings and tell me all the juicy gossip
~Giving Daniel, (one of my most unenthusiastic and difficult to motivate students...really hard to get him to open up) girl advice after school
~Pedro Corona singing, dancing, playing "drum beats" with his pencil on the desk, asking me out on dates, trying to secretly check his myspace account and interrupting my 9th period class
~My regular group of boys that come to visit me after school and play vicious games of "keep away" from each other
~My lovely TAs Gabby and Stephanie
~Freddy Torres trying to sleep through first period and denying it when I make him stand up for the rest of the class period.
~Laura Ortiz translating what my ELL kids are saying about me in 5th period
~The yearbook girls...Ariel, Cinthya, Laura O and Laura P...they are the BEST!
~Seeing my friends/colleagues everyday
THINGS I WILL NOT MISS:
~Students writing nasty things about me in textbooks and on other school property
~The bad girls from 5th period that call me names in Spanish
~JOSE MERCADO and EDUARDO MEJIA!
~Writing referrals for tardies
~Waking up at 5:30am!
As for the last two days of school...they might have been the best days thus far. I was able to chaperone the trip to Knott's Berry Farm which is an amusement park on Monday. This was absolutely the most fun! I got to spend the whole day hanging out with my students and it was great to be with them in an environment that was totally relaxed, I didn't have to play the disciplinarian or bad guy and didn't have to really be in that "instructor" role. I was able to just enjoy the best part of my job which is the uniqueness of each and every student and appreciating them for who they are. Spending the day with them on Monday made me remember what is so important about the job that I do and why I do it. After all the days that I want to wring their necks...this was the perfect refresher! I love their personality and quirky remarks, they are so funny and energetic.
Tuesday was their promotion ceremony which is a HUGE production out here. I learned that this 8th grade graduation is like prom or something. Girls and guys both were dressed to the nines! At first I was thinking...why all the fuss...its eighth grade! But with the demographics of this area, sad to say, this might be the biggest accomplishment in some of their lives because they won't make it through high school. I was so proud to see some of the students who promoted. There were a few that almost didn't make it. One of those students came up to John and I and said that us two were the only reason he promoted. I was touched! Anyway, I'm looking very forward to next year and building more relationships with students, just as I did this year.
THINGS I WILL MISS:
~My regular group of girls that come to visit me EVERY morning before the bell rings and tell me all the juicy gossip
~Giving Daniel, (one of my most unenthusiastic and difficult to motivate students...really hard to get him to open up) girl advice after school
~Pedro Corona singing, dancing, playing "drum beats" with his pencil on the desk, asking me out on dates, trying to secretly check his myspace account and interrupting my 9th period class
~My regular group of boys that come to visit me after school and play vicious games of "keep away" from each other
~My lovely TAs Gabby and Stephanie
~Freddy Torres trying to sleep through first period and denying it when I make him stand up for the rest of the class period.
~Laura Ortiz translating what my ELL kids are saying about me in 5th period
~The yearbook girls...Ariel, Cinthya, Laura O and Laura P...they are the BEST!
~Seeing my friends/colleagues everyday
THINGS I WILL NOT MISS:
~Students writing nasty things about me in textbooks and on other school property
~The bad girls from 5th period that call me names in Spanish
~JOSE MERCADO and EDUARDO MEJIA!
~Writing referrals for tardies
~Waking up at 5:30am!
As for the last two days of school...they might have been the best days thus far. I was able to chaperone the trip to Knott's Berry Farm which is an amusement park on Monday. This was absolutely the most fun! I got to spend the whole day hanging out with my students and it was great to be with them in an environment that was totally relaxed, I didn't have to play the disciplinarian or bad guy and didn't have to really be in that "instructor" role. I was able to just enjoy the best part of my job which is the uniqueness of each and every student and appreciating them for who they are. Spending the day with them on Monday made me remember what is so important about the job that I do and why I do it. After all the days that I want to wring their necks...this was the perfect refresher! I love their personality and quirky remarks, they are so funny and energetic.
Tuesday was their promotion ceremony which is a HUGE production out here. I learned that this 8th grade graduation is like prom or something. Girls and guys both were dressed to the nines! At first I was thinking...why all the fuss...its eighth grade! But with the demographics of this area, sad to say, this might be the biggest accomplishment in some of their lives because they won't make it through high school. I was so proud to see some of the students who promoted. There were a few that almost didn't make it. One of those students came up to John and I and said that us two were the only reason he promoted. I was touched! Anyway, I'm looking very forward to next year and building more relationships with students, just as I did this year.
posted by Melissa R. Forgacs at 11:10 AM
3 Comments:
Congratulations! It's wonderful to hear you talk of your students (most of them) with such care and concern--that's the sign of an awesome teacher! I'm proud of you!
I have a tear in my eyes. You are a good teacher do not doubt it. I was amazed at your style as I visited you and watched you in action. You gave those students so much for than a class period of science instruction. I too am proud of you and all your accomplishments!
My last day with students was today. I'm always eager for another opportunity to be a better teacher. I can't even look my first year students in the eye. It sounds like you were an amazing first year teacher. Nice work.
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