Top Ten from Teaching

Well my friends... my student teaching career has come to an end and I thought it would be fitting to end my last week with at Top 10 List.

I learned WAY more than 10 things this semester... probably haven't even become aware of all of the things I have learned... but these are things that the kids taught me—not things I learned from teaching necessarily... (although I do consider myself an expert on the causes of the civil war if anyone wants me to expand on that some day...) but just from my daily interactions with my 8th graders for the last 12 weeks.

10. 8th grade relationships are a BIG deal.

I can't tell you how many times I comforted girls, and boys for that matter... "my girl cheated on me"—"that boy did me wrong"... Frankly it's exhausting. But you quickly realize that saying "You are too young to understand anything" isn't going to make it better, or go away. And even I can remember it being "the end of the world." So you have to roll with this one... take it on as like a "this too shall pass" type of situation... Solid humor if looked at in the right light.

9. Hair is also a very BIG deal in the 8th grade.

These kids are never bashful when it came to freshening up in front of others. Right in the middle of class... every 2 seconds. Ain't nothin but a thing.

8. "Messy" means a whole lot more than messy... trust me on this one.

7. When you think they aren't paying attention...they are.

—sometimes more than you'd like.

This fact came to my attention on more than one account. They are watching you always. Seeing what you will do. Testing you. Seeing if you really care. Looking at what you do, how you act and how you will react... seeing if you are human... or the human that they are looking for in anyone. You get used to this one...

6. Most of the time their "worst day ever" isn't really the "worst day ever" but sometimes it is.

I had kids that came in every other hour with a different event, drama... somebody looked at them wrong and if one more thing happened... these I got used to... almost expected them.

But then every now and then, they would be the real deal. Life changing things that even I, 8 years older... don't know how to handle, never have dealt with... and sometimes never will... hopefully. Moments where you just gotta sit down in the hall and let them cry... a hug is still all I know to do.

5. They are awkward... EVERYthing is awkward.

I can't really expand on this one... it's just painfully true. And fabulously entertaining.

4. They all want attention for something... you just have to figure out what it is.

This just like the last is painfully true... and I think has a lot to do with the fact that they are awkward. But you kinda have to love them for it. They are still growing into their own skin... and every step of the way is a beautiful thing... if looking at it the right way.

3. You have to let yourself laugh with them every now and then.

Too many times this happened to me. I would shake my head and just say to myself "I don't even care if that was completely inappropriate... that was funny"

"Aggies sorry"—"Yo face sorry!"

2. If they tell you you look “swag”, it’s a good thing.

I think.

My roots are coming out with that statement.

1. They just need a lot of love.

It was quite a ride. ..And I loved it more than anything else.

I probably learned way more than they did... but I will keep so many of them in my heart forever. They lit a fire under me... made me want to do nothing else but teach and work hard to teach them what I know and figure out what I don't know...so I can teach them that too.

The good thing is... they make me better at that job.

Here's to a great semester—and here's to not knowing what comes next!

xoxo