Every morning when I pray, I ask God to help me be a positive role model for my students.
Either He decided to tell me "No" today, or I didn't heed His hints.
In addition to my duties as an English teacher, I am also the yearbook advisor. Although considered an extracurricular class, my staff will be the first to tell you that it's very stressful due to the deadline dates. There have been times when we've been at school until 8:00 P.M.; but personally, I think the class is great in teaching time management. Unfortunatley for the students, this time of the year is most stressful, and I have zero tolerance for excuses. Although I get frustrated, I have to remind myself that there's an appropriate way to show my frustrations.
Today I forgot.
Already being exasperated with one particular student, every comment that was made by this person was, in my opinion, negative. Finally, after another comment, I snapped, "****, you are so negative! Everything you say is negative!"
"No, I'm not," this person meekly replied. "Not everything."
"Yes, Everything!" I insisted.
Needless to say the rest of the period was rather quiet.
A few minutes later as I was standing in the hallway talking with some teachers, this student came to me and asked if s/he could talk to me.
Towards the end of our discussion, the person told me that I had hurt his/her feelings and got teary-eyed. I hugged the person and aplogized; h/she said, "That's all right," and I said, "No, it's never all right if you're crying."
What a sucker-punch to the gut. I know I am demanding, and I will push my students to the breaking point - but that's it - TO the breaking point; I don't ever want to break them.
I came back to my room and read my cousins blog about a friend of hers who is a W.O.W. (woman of the Word). Yesh, I wasn't one today - more like a harlot...
Then looking around my room at my posters, there are three specificaly glaring at me, but the one about Success makes me do a double-take. Success doesn't just start with believing in oneself; it also starts with others believing in you. I lost sight of that today.
So, I'll take the words of my other posters to heart:
The only real mistake is the one from which you don't learn
You must be the change you wish to see in the world
You can always be a better person today than the one you were yesterday
Yes, indeed!
2 comments:
Read Crazyboredandtired's blog..will show you how they too appreciate you.you are strict on the students because you want the best for them,but don't break them.I love ya!!!
Mom
Well, I had to go back and tell him that he was confusing me with someone else - I don't accept late work-they get a zero. :(
But, at least they know there's some reason behind it all!
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