I don't take pictures all the time. But I want to chat with my blog.... and if I wait for pictures every time this will become a lame abyss of a blog where people stop checking.... and I ultimately stop writing.
Hence,
I just have to say school started. And why we would want to take pictures of this anyway, I don't know... But I really do need to get something creatively productive done during my work day and take pictures of my darling classrooms. I had a team of YW put them together, so really they deserve the credit. But the decorations were MMYYYY IDEEEAAA!!! (said in a whiney negative voice, not un-similar to a 12 year old 7th grader.)
12
years
old.
Every year I forget how young my baby 7th graders will look, talk and act. And each year I am slapped in the face with stupid questions, immature thought processing little 12 year olds who wear size 10 (in boys and girls).
But to be honest, I love the heck out of these small kids. I get a glimpse of the laughs that elementary school teachers get from their young students who are still trying to figure out life. I get to answer questions with:
"No, sorry we don't have Halloween parties in Junior high.... I know, I hate it too."
or
"No, sorry I haven't seen your _______ (lunch box, back pack, pencil, folder, swimsuit, earring, lost tooth...)."
And my favorite- that I will miss in a few months when these babies start acting like true junior high-ers and ignore their teachers- is all the fun exciting "news" they come share with me at the beginning of class.
"Mrs. Garner! My cousin got a new gerbil!"
"Mrs. Garner! Someone threw up on the bus today!"
"Mrs. Garner! Last night my Dad said we could maybe go to Disneyland for Fall break!"
"Mrs. Garner! I got a new pencil."
"Mrs. Garner! Mrs. Garner! Mrs. Garner!!!!!"
Sweet, darling..... babies.
And then there's the tough crew of 8th graders who after 12 weeks of Summer now seem to have a new knack for confidence, jeans that are one size larger and an endless supply of mascara.
They've put in their time.
They've got the attitude.
They still forget their lunch boxes in my classroom.
Where do they come off?
I am a super lucky teacher, though, in that because I teach choir, I have roll over students from year to year. So the best part of the 8th grade snobs is that I continue to watch them grow into mature teenagers. Seeing them grow physically, socially, intellectually (ironically I had to spell check that last word) and emotionally is a quiet satisfaction from teaching.
By Christmas time, these 14 year olds and I can:
-hold a decent conversation where I do not feel like I'm talking in my Elmo voice.
-analyze a piece of music, theoretically and musically.
-mutually understand why McDonald's is disgusting.
-share life advice.
BUT....
Really, junior high sucks. And I'm stuck in it.
These poor kids are confused, immature and paranoid about everything. They want to pick out their own clothes but still want to be tucked in at night. They have to be wearing the latest, coolest brands and styles, but really wish they could buy a Hannah Montana shirt and not be made fun of. They want responsibility and freebies.
But they are also eager to learn, ready for the next step in life and still wanting their teachers to love and care about them.
I'm really lucky to listen to all their stories, watch them cry because they sat alone at lunch, watch them laugh because they got a glimpse from that special "someone", watch them struggle with math, watch them sit and devourer a book, watch them text in class. I get to help them realize that kindness is the best policy, grades DO matter and no, you can't call your mom and have her bail you out every time.
I get to see them discover who they want to be.
Sappy sappy sappy.
Just give these guys a break when their invading the mall this weekend: loitering, screaming, running and all. You and I did it too.
