I continue to enjoy teaching much more than I ever thought I would. Really, it has so much to do with the kids that I teach. Like any good group of kids, there are those that annoy me most of the time, and those that sometimes just make me want to scream. But overall, I really love the kids that I teach. I like learning about them and about what they care about; here are some of the things that I've liked the most in the past few months.
One of the boys in the other 4th grade class (to whom I only teach science) wrote me the best note I will likely ever receive in my career as a teacher. His family was leaving to return to Korea, so in his goodbye note to me, he wrote the following: "I think you are a very smart teacher. You know all the big science words. I know that you think that you are not a scientist, but really I know that you are." If only he knew that everything I know about the things I am teaching in science are things that I am learning the weekend before I teach it. Really.
We are reading Number the Stars in reading class. Last week we had a discussion about the Holocaust, and I wanted them to compare it with similar events that have happened in history. I didn't think they would know much at all, but was completely amazed at their knowledge. These kids come from so many different countries, with completely different histories from each other. We talked about things that happened in America, in Korea, in China, in Europe, in Africa. What was supposed to be a 15 minute discussion took up the entire 45 minutes of reading. When I finally ended the conversation to send the students out to recess, they told me they couldn't believe it was time for recess - when usually we do the last 15 minutes of reading class with one eye on the clock. One girl said, "This was the best reading class ever - we were all so interested!" I love, absolutely love, that these 9, 10, 11 year old kids really want to talk about what's happened and is happening in the world. They don't see these things as something that happened 40 years ago or in a land far, far away - the world is so small to them. These things that we talk about happened to their families, to their friends' families. I love that they care.
After I returned from India, I decided to show my students some pictures of the school and students that I visited there. After seeing the pictures, I gave them some time to ask questions (as my life is a source of constant interest to them). Jeanie had one question - "Miss Ludwick, if you were in India for one whole week, how come you didn't get tan at all?" Great. I'm glad this is what is on their minds.
I've gotten my hair cut here a few times, but before I did, my hair was longer and a little wavy. One day I decided not to blow dry or straighten my hair, so it was kind of curly. My students had some questions. "Miss Ludwick, what did you do with your hair? Did you just get out of bed and forget to brush your hair?" And so, I never wore my hair like that again. Thanks to the 4th grade hairstyle police.
Over the New Year holiday, I got to know one of my students a little better. Colin's parents invited me and the other 4th grade teacher, Sarah, over for dinner. Colin is a student who, well, sometimes makes me want to scream. He spends a lot of his time on a different planet, doesn't hear instructions, and is constantly reading a book rather than paying attention in class. He also had a really big attitude problem, and so all my best reasoning and discipline tactics were having little impact. He was doing poorly in a couple of subjects simply because he put in zero effort. But at his house that evening, it was like I met a different kid. He was completely sweet, wanted to show me his room, his favorite books, and tell me all about a trip his family took in the fall. In return, I told him stories about my family, and (at the encouragement of his parents!) stories of some of the funny pranks we played on each other in college. Since our return to school two weeks ago, the Colin at met at his house has come to school everyday. He still has his nose in a book every time I'm not watching, and often chooses to use his "selective hearing" to ignore my directions. But he works harder, laughs at my jokes (they're very funny, I assure you), and has completely lost the attitude. I don't know who has changed more - him or I. He no longer frustrates me - I've come to think he's a pretty cool kid.
So those are just some of my stories. I don't know if this is what I will do for the rest of my life, but it's for sure the best job I've ever had.
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