Thank Goodness for Bridgeport!

I am so thankful to work in a district that believes in both February break and April break. It is time for some rest (and some sunshine in California!) I will definitely miss my kiddies though...Lord knows how much I love my job, and my students. The third quarter finished last week, which I can't believe that I have been teaching so long already, and my kids have been worn out by the testing and requirements from the state and district level. Though they had all of this testing, I had almost NO time to teach them everything they needed to know from my curriculum this quarter! I don't know who the brilliant person is who decided it was a good idea to give them the 'Quarterly Online Assessment' from the district the week after we finished the CMT's (Connecticut Mastery Test), but they had to have been dropped when they were small...Honestly? Do we really need to test them for 4 WEEKS IN A ROW???

Oy, what a crock. My kids made it through alive, and that's the important thing. They still have as much energy as before, or maybe more! Wednesday was one of two ridiculous days I have had this year...It was one of those days that makes me realize why teachers consume 'adult beverages.' I know that my kids enjoy being in my class, and I know that the love i show them is reciprocated, but in the end, kids will still be kids. Chat chat chat, whisper whisper whisper, YELL YELL YELL!!! I couldn't believe it! The day could not end faster...Then while I was teaching today, my kids had one of those 'ah-HA!' moments that makes me remember how much I love my job. I know this is where I am supposed to be, and that it is NOT where some others are supposed to be. The reason this comes to mind is that while I was sitting in my room on a prep, Finance was in my room (we have a teacher who floats in and out.) As the teacher is struggling to get the students in their seats, quiet and ready to take a test, he got upset at the struggle. He yells at them, "This is why I HATE this class...this is the worst behaved class in the whole school."

HATE? Hate is a strong word...not only is there no way on God's green earth that I would use that towards an individual, but to a class full of 12/13-year-old students?! No way!!! I have come to realize SO much about what it takes to work in an urban school, and it is so much about the relationship that you build with the students. Without that relationship, you CANNOT succeed.

I have been blessed by people in my school who help me to realize my passion every once and a while. A colleague of mine said today, "After watching you in class today, I know you are seriously supposed to be here. I saw the joy in your face and the smile as you taught those kids today. It was really great to watch." I was flattered when he told me this, and I could not agree more with him. I responded with something to the effect of, "There are so many crazy days here, and I am sure that I could have days like today all the time at a suburban school, but it would never be this rewarding." The experiences that I give my kids that make my job my passion.

Please continue to pray for my students and my colleagues as we finish out this wonderful first year.

Emily