Hello friends, family, and strangers (I flatter myself)! I am a recently-graduated girl finding my way in the "real world" (apparently, I've been floating around the fake world for the past two decades). Many of my friends' "real world"s consist of cubicles, nine-to-fives, marriage, babies, and other such grown-up things. My real world looks a little different. Yes, I still get up and go to work every morning, same as they do. But instead of battling fax machines, computer programs, disgruntled spouses and dirty diapers, I arm myself against a legion of 14-year-old boys. Well, 83 of them to be exact. You see, I teach 8th-grade boys' Science in an inner-city, high-poverty school. What it is not: glamorous, prestigious, boring. What it is: humorous, heartbreaking, and the most challenging thing I will ever do.

The stories I tell and the people I describe are real; you can't make this stuff up. If you are new to my blog, I hope you'll start at the beginning and fall in love with its characters, just as I have.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Worst? Worst.

I can safely say that this was my worst birthday ever. There. Now that I've said it, let's keep in mind the following:

1. Last year my birthday fell on a weekend. If it hadn't, I'm sure it would have taken the cake. Pun intended.
2. I've never had a bad birthday. I've been blessed to be around thoughtful friends and family every February 21st of my life--which is all I could ever want or ask for!

This year, I'm so glad I celebrated my milestone with the people that love me best...my...students.....
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I got a really "sweet" "card" with a portrait of me on the front!!!!! I was naked!!!! And the caption said, "Ms. M. Small tits. Skinny legs in boots."!!!!

First of all, Jaylon Barker, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW A PAIR OF "TITS" IF THEY SLAPPED YOU IN THE FACE. Because you are 13. And even if you were twice that age, girls do not like you. Period. Thanks for once again stripping me of dignity and any illusion that I'd earned an ounce of respect up in hurr.

When I found the note and confronted him (wouldn't you be absolutely mortified?), he just shrugged. Didn't even deny it. Said I'd made him mad when I got on to him for walking around the room not doing his work.

Duh.

When my boss gets mad at me for not doing my job, my first inclination is to sketch up an unflattering rendering of his genitalia.

Ughhhhhh. These children. I forget that they're children. Tell me how I'm supposed to love that? But I am.

Let me stop before I go on a tirade, telling you how terrible they all were today and how I couldn't get through half a lesson. Instead, I'll tell you how Jimmy brought me a tacky crystal dolphin and weird homemade "sesame balls" and made me cry a second time today. Only the good kind, because he remembered from the beginning of school when he'd asked what my birthday was. I'll tell you how Raquon and Anthony got in trouble for running out of their English class to fling open my door and crush me with their birthday hugs. I'll tell you how past students sent me messages telling me they loved me and were thinking about me today.

I guess if this is my least happy birthday, I've been blessed beyond measure.

Thanks for making it special.

I love you.

Good night!
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2 comments:

  1. GailFebruary 22, 2011 at 8:15 AM

    Kiley, you never cease to amaze me with the amount of grace you have for those kids. Keep fighting the good fight, I send my love from Bama!

    ReplyDelete
  2. SaraFebruary 22, 2011 at 1:35 PM

    Wow, I'm glad I didn't give you the card I made you. It too included a nude portrait.

    ReplyDelete

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