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.