My Students

I love to put pictures in my blogs, but I can't post pictures of students. So whatever. I do have to say though, that tonight I am struck by how awesome my life is, and one of the many reasons is because of my students. Now, I know I complain about teaching all the time. Without a doubt, days and weeks go past when I think about my 97% in Chem 30 and wonder what the hell I am doing teaching high school drama in the first place. When I am getting Botox for example, I watch what Dr. V does for a living, making literally hundreds of dollars an hour, and I get a little wistful about his huge mansion, hottub for 20, endless vacations, etc. I know these details because he tells me. BTW, I haven't had Botox since April. Why? Because I can't afford it. Why? Because I am a TEACHER.

All that is forgotten though during weeks like this one. We had our last rehearsals for The Canterbury Tales this week. I can't explain the total fulfillment of creating a little piece of art with 29 kids, that we are all proud of and are now ready to share with anyone who will listen. It is such a poignant and singular experience, that you have to do it to understand it.

Almost at the other end of the teaching spectrum for me is my cute ESL class. While I work with the best and brightest on the show, and enjoy that experience, I am simultaneously struggling to offer a rewarding program to 19 sweet little ESL kids. This is HARD work. I constantly feel inadequate, boring, and uninspired when trying to come up with activities and lessons that will engage and interest them without intimidating them to death. This semester I think that they sense this. They seem to be rooting for us all to succeed together, come hell or high water. Today I had students who have BARELY SPOKEN all semester, stand up in front of the class and present puppet shows with puppets that they handmade this week. I almost cried - I clapped like a lunatic instead. It adds another flavour of delicious fulfillment to watch the progress of these sweeties.

And not to leave out Drama 30 - they are like my own children, deeply rooted to part of my soul. Even the bad ass ones. And I am not a sugary teacher, so I rarely verbalize these things to my students. I am actually kind of strict and demanding. But I hope and believe that they sense how much I value them and quietly, deperately long for their happiness and success.

Sigh. It's a good job. And I think hot tubs are kind of gross.

THANKS!!

Thank you Gayle and Karly for the food and love, and everyone who sent love or came to the funeral, or just blew me kisses, BTW. It DOES matter and it DOES help.

No more Grandparents

Suddenly we have had a flurry of deaths in our families. Grandma Olson passed on November 1 at 95 years old. Not from old age - from lung fibrosis - even though she never smoked. I am so damn sick and bloody tired of losing people. But I have to say that she knew who was waiting for her. Am I screwing up by never having babies???????????????