Feeling Normal again and Teaching

Wow it has been an exhausting few days around here.
I left work early on Wednesday because I felt like I was going to vomit everywhere.
I never vomit!
There have been times that I wish I could just to make the nausea go away.
I came home and went straight to bed.
Luckily it only lasted until the following morning.

State testing is going on at work and so the stress of it all effects everyone.
As a teacher, I just want all of my students to do well.
I hope and pray that I have done a good job and that they are well prepared and knowledgeable.
We have another testing day today and two next week.
Then, we are finished for another year.

Have you seen the viral video of the student from Duncanville?
I have so many thoughts when I watched it.
Remember, I am a high school teacher so some of my views are from experience with older kids.
First, I am very happy and proud of him for being so passionate about his education.
There are so many students who don't care at all about learning so it is refreshing to know there are those who want to learn.
Second, I am glad he let the teacher know how he felt, but wish he would have done it in a better manner.
Third, there are many teachers out there that don't care and do just sit at their desk and they need to be replaced, but there are also great teachers who get a bad rap for no reason.

I think a lot of people believe teaching is an easy job.
It isn't!
We don't just work during the day, we work evenings and weekends as well.
There are always papers to grade and lessons to be made.
We really don't have summers off because we attend trainings and create curriculum.
We work all summer coming up with new ideas to benefit our kiddos.
Many of us spend way too much time trying to come up with the perfect lesson so that the students will enjoy it.
And do you know what happens most of the time?
We create an awesome lesson, we get excited about it, and then we have students tell us its lame and they don't know why they need to learn anything.
It sort of takes away the flame from our fire to teach.
It is disheartening to put so much time into something and get nothing in return.
I will never give up the fight to create good lessons and get the attention of my kids, but the mentality of some of our youth needs to be changed.
I have been teaching for 9 years and something is happening somewhere and it is only getting worse.
I wish I had a classroom full of students like the boy from Duncanville.
It would make teaching so much easier.

I love working with kids and I know the importance of education.
I want all students to be successful and I want later generations to be able to run this nation efficiently.
I want kids to enjoy coming to school.
I want them to know that I care.
I want them to WANT to come to my class.
I want them to WANT to learn.

As a teacher, I will strive to make my students happy every day.
As a teacher, I will strive to make class enjoyable.
As a teacher, I will strive to connect with them.
As a teacher, I will strive to teach them important life lessons and curriculum.

As a parent, I will teach my children the importance of learning.
As a parent, I will instill the mentality of hard work pays off.
As a parent, I will be involved in my child's education.
As a parent, I will support their hard working teachers.
As a parent, I will teach them respect.
As a parent, I will teach them not to take education for granted.

What will you teach your children?

That is it for today.
A pretty deep post for a Friday, don't ya think.
Things to think about...

Enjoy your weekend!