Thoughts that were in my head:
"Why am I so happy?"
"It doesn't matter!!"
"God is so good!"
"Kids are amazing today. I love being able to treat them like people." (I'll explain this one in a sec)
And the thing is, I felt like I was on fire. I wanted to help my students on all requests. I wanted to work my butt off to teach them....EVERYTHING! I wanted to joke with them. I wanted to talk to them about life, not school. Which is awesome, because here lately I really have had a few problems connecting with students. Or really, more specifically, wanting to connect with students. I guess in short, I felt like a teacher again.
God is so good. Today really just gave me so much hope. I really felt His love all day. And there were times I could have easily sabotaged the day.....and I didn't. I am just so thankful for today.
Let's jump back to the "treat them like people" comment. It does sound bad. Kasie, you're a teacher, you don't treat your students like people? But I guess I am more human than teacher. :) It's not that I am treating them as slaves or warm bodies. More like a pain in my you-know-what. Last week, I had a student say, "Smile Ms. Bogart....you never smile in our class." I really didn't know what to say. I am more used to the comment...."Bogart you are always smiling...." Really??? Do I never smile in that class? I think he was right.
Then something happened in welding class today. Which was pretty much AMAZING as well. :) I felt a little prompting from the Holy Spirit. "You need to more patient with these boys." I am just as bad as they are. One of my biggest pet peeves in welding is when students are lazy and give up. They weld one or two beads, for example, trying to do a tee weld, don't find instant success, and then they throw a temper fit about it being too hard. They lose their patience so easy and so fast. Then I do the same thing to them because it pretty much drives me crazy. There was a student that was doing this very thing today. In fact, he was pretty solemn the whole class- frowning, grumpy, and just not very nice. As he was leaving, I smiled and said, "It's gonna be okay." He looked up, didn't smile, and said, "I hope so."
"I hope so." I have no idea what he is hoping about. He isn't disrespectful to me, rude to his classmates, grumpy, or even throwing fits because of me or really anyone. There is something in his life that is making him lose hope. Me losing my patience does not help matters for him. Sadly, I know that for each and every student that is walking through my door, they are fighting some battle. I can either help them or hinder them.
When I was student teaching, my cooperating teacher had a sign in her room- "Make Their Day." I love this saying. Have I been doing this lately? Absolutely not. Am I capable of doing this? You betcha! :) We are teachers. My job is to help my students learn more about agriculture. But really my job is helping them fight their battles and loving each and everyone of them. I could go all day on this topic. Some kids that I sometimes find the least lovable, teach me that I was totally wrong.
I am so ready to start making their day once again! Thanks be to God for such a great day! I am amazed at his beautiful reminder that He will never let me go. He and my Momma Mary kept me strong all day. It was so good on this busted heart. : )
Now I am off for some margaritas and a movie to make this day that much better. haha : )
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